Research

Federal Reserve: Is The Rent Too High? Aggregate Implications of Local Land-Use Regulation

June 2017 Is the Rent Too High? Aggregate Implications of Local Land-Use Regulation (PDF) Devin Bunten Abstract: Highly productive U.S. cities are characterized by high housing prices, low housing stock growth, and restrictive land-use regulations (e.g., San Francisco). While new residents would benefit from housing stock growth in cities with highly productive firms, existing residents…

Census Bureau: 2016 Characteristics of New Housing Update

Today the U.S. Census Bureau released the 2016 Characteristics of New Housing Report, which provides annual statistics on the characteristics of new privately owned residential structures by census region. The report includes characteristics such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the location of the laundry, presence of homeowner’s association, the buyer’s source of financing…

Census Bureau: Wealth and Asset Ownership Data Tables Released

The U.S. Census Bureau released today the 2013 Wealth and Asset Ownership Detailed Tables highlighting household net worth from the Survey of Income and Program Participation. These tables highlight annual household net worth estimates at the national level and are broken down by selected characteristics, such as race, household structure and poverty status. The Survey…

FHFA: Further Data Released on Non-Performing Loan Sales

​Washington, DC – The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today released its third report providing information about the sale of non-performing loans (NPLs) by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises).  The Enterprise Non-Performing Loan Sales Report includes information about NPLs sold and outcomes for borrowers as of December 31, 2016.  The sale of NPLs…

CDFI Fund: Bank Enterprise Award Program Baseline Analysis and Evaluation Report Available

Now available on the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund’s (CDFI Fund’s) website is a new evaluation of the Bank Enterprise Award Program (BEA Program). Commissioned by the CDFI Fund and conducted by A. Reddix and Associates, the Woodstock Institute, and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, the Bank Enterprise Award Program Baseline Analysis and Evaluation is…

Federal Reserve: New York Fed Examines Regional Household Debt and Credit Trend

NEW YORK—The Federal Reserve Bank of New York today issued Regional Household Debt and Credit Snapshots, which examine borrowing and indebtedness trends throughout the Federal Reserve’s Second District, and are analogous to the national Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit. They include data about mortgages, home equity lines, student loans, credit cards, auto loans…

Federal Reserve: Informal Review by the Federal Reserve Banks on Current Economic Conditions in their Districts

National Summary This report was prepared at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia based on information collected on or before May 22, 2017. This document summarizes comments received from contacts outside the Federal Reserve System and is not a commentary on the views of Federal Reserve officials. Overall Economic Activity Most of the twelve Federal…

FHFA: Index Shows Mortgage Rates Decreased in April 2017

Washington, DC – Nationally, interest rates on conventional purchase-money mortgages decreased from March to April, according to several indices of new mortgage contracts. The National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders Index was 3.97 percent for loans closed in late April, down 15 basis points from 4.12…

Census Bureau: The South is Home to 10 of the 15 Fastest-Growing Large Cities

Texas Cities Continue to Top the Charts MAY 25, 2017 — Ten of the 15 fastest-growing large cities were located across the South in 2016, with four of the top five in Texas, according to new population estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. Conroe, Texas (near Houston), was the fastest-growing large city (population…

FHFA: Request for Input to Improve Access to Credit for Qualified Mortgage Borrowers with Limited English Proficiency

Washington, DC – The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today issued a Request for Input on issues facing qualified mortgage borrowers with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) throughout the mortgage life cycle process, including lending and servicing. FHFA’s 2017 Scorecard for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Common Securitization Solutions, requires Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the…