Pandemic

HUD: FHA Extends COVID-19 Forbearance Request Timeframe for Single Family Homeowners

Extension through December 31, 2020, ensures homeowners who need assistance can continue to obtain mortgage payment forbearance Today, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced it is extending the date for single family homeowners with FHA-insured mortgages to request an initial forbearance from their mortgage servicer to forbear their mortgage payments for up to six months. Homeowners experiencing…

EDA: $399,804 in CARES Act Recovery Assistance Invested to Boost Capital Investment in Rural Utah Opportunity Zones

 Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $399,804 grant to the Sorenson Impact Center at the University of Utah and the Utah Association of Counties to create a rural Opportunity Zone and Recovery Playbook that will support local efforts to drive capital investment into Utah communities. This EDA grant,…

FHFA: COVID-Related Loan Flexibilities Further Extended

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced today that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will extend several loan origination flexibilities until November 30, 2020. The changes are to ensure continued support for borrowers during the COVID-19 national emergency. The flexibilities were set to expire on October 31, 2020. Extended flexibilities include: Alternative appraisals…

ABA: National Survey Shows Americans Remain Highly Satisfied with Their Bank, Appreciate Banks’ Response to COVID-19

Nine in 10 Americans with a bank account (89 percent) say they are “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with their primary bank, and 96 percent rate their bank’s customer service as “excellent,” “very good” or “good,” according to a new survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the American Bankers Association. The survey, unveiled today…

ABA: Statement on House Coronavirus Subcomittee Report on PPP

“Working with the federal government, banks of all sizes worked day and night to get the Paycheck Protection Program off the ground in the middle of a pandemic. The size, scale and speed of their response was unprecedented, delivering more than $500 billion in PPP loans that have allowed struggling small businesses affected by COVID-19…

Census Bureau: Small Business Pulse Survey Phase 2 Weekly Data Release

The U.S. Census Bureau today released new data from the second phase of the experimental Small Business Pulse Survey. Data collection began Aug. 9, 2020. Results will be released weekly starting Aug. 20 through Oct. 15, 2020. The second phase includes questions on the core concepts from the first phase of the survey, as well as…

CFPB: Virtual Town Hall on Managing Money During the COVID-19 Pandemic with Pro Linebacker Brandon Copeland on October 27th

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) Director Kathleen L. Kraninger and Brandon Copeland, pro linebacker and University of Pennsylvania Professor, will host a virtual town hall to discuss how people can better manage their money during tough times. The event, titled “Pressure Creates Diamonds: Money Management During Coronavirus,” will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020,…

EDA: U.S. Department of Commerce Launches $25 Million SPRINT Challenge to Address Coronovirus Pandemic Through Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the opening of the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) new Scaling Pandemic Resilience Through Innovation and Technology (SPRINT) Challenge, which will enable organizations across the country to address the economic, health, and safety risks caused by the coronavirus pandemic through entrepreneurship and innovation. The SPRINT Challenge is a…

EDA: $1.5 Million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance Invested to Expand Broadband Access Across New Mexico

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.5 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the New Mexico Department of Information Technology, Santa Fe, New Mexico, to provide technical assistance for state government entities seeking to expand broadband infrastructure and services in response to…

Census Bureau: Small Business Pulse Survey Phase 2 Weekly Data Released

The U.S. Census Bureau today released new data from the second phase of the experimental Small Business Pulse Survey. Data collection began Aug. 9, 2020. Results will be released weekly starting Aug. 20 through Oct. 15, 2020. The second phase includes questions on the core concepts from the first phase of the survey, as well as…