Government

Federally funded mortgage relief programs continue to struggle to reach homeowners, according to the Special Inspector General of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP). A new report from the watchdog agency says only $2.5 billion of the $45.6 billion in TARP funds earmarked for housing programs has been spent. Regarding the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), the agency estimates that as many as 600,000 homeowners who are eligible will not receive a permanent mod before the program expires next fall.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has lowered its projection for just how much taxpayer funding is needed to support the nation's two largest mortgage financiers. FHFA estimates that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will need between $220 billion and $311 billion from the American people when all is said and done. Those figures represent capital assistance from September 2008, when the two mortgage giants were placed into conservatorship, through the end of 2014.

Thirty-three senators have put out a letter encouraging the Obama administration and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to work quickly in developing a program to make vacant foreclosed homes available for rent. The administration is currently sifting through responses to the request for information (RFI) it issued in August regarding an REO rental program. The senators want federal officials to respond with a timeline for when they expect to finish reviewing the RFIs and their next steps.

The industry's four largest mortgage servicers all say they will be taking part in the revamped Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP). Bank of America, Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo have each expressed their support of the program and the changes that will allow more underwater homeowners to refinance. Government officials expect the program's revisions to expand its reach and increase competition for mortgage refinancing, with an estimated 1 million homeowners to receive assistance under the new guidelines.

Rep. Scott Garrett, chairman of the House subcommittee responsible for matters related to the nation's two largest mortgage financiers, says Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not only systemically dangerous to economic security, but their government-sanctioned structure is ""un-American."" Garrett has unveiled his plan for putting housing finance reform on the fast track by ensuring private investors are ready to take up the slack from the GSEs. The sheer dominance of the two companies, however, leads some in the industry to err on the side of caution.

Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden filed suit Thursday against MERSCORP and its subsidiary, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS). Biden charges the company with violating Delaware's Deceptive Trade Practices Act. He alleges MERS violated the act in three major ways: by maintaining inaccurate information and withholding information from borrowers; by filing foreclosures without the authority to do so; and by not enforcing its own rules. MERS says there is ""no merit"" to Biden's accusations.

Freddie Mac CEO Charles E. Haldeman Jr. has informed the GSE's board of directors that he plans to step down ""some time in the coming year."" The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) says Haldeman has assured the board and FHFA that he will remain as CEO until a succession plan has been put in place. Haldeman has stood at the helm of Freddie Mac since August 2009. He is the third individual to hold the chief executive position since the company was placed into conservatorship by the federal government in September 2008.

With the Federal Housing Finance Agency's (FHFA) retooling of the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), one change in particular may hold the answer to just how much of an impact the initiative will have -- FHFA's decision to waive representations and warranties on loans that are refinanced through the program. The debate has already begun about whether such a move will indeed persuade lenders to step up participation in the program. Some lenders do see it as an opportunity, but market analysts say the rep and warranty waiver may be less effective than expected.

Citigroup has agreed to a $285 million settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after accusations that it misled investors about a collateralized debt obligation (CDO) that defaulted after the housing market began showing signs of distress. The SEC alleges that a Citigroup subsidiary selected $500 million of the $1 billion CDO portfolio and then took a proprietary short position against the investments. But Citi says while the company did subsequently realize gains on its short positions, other affiliates also retained over $100 million of the notes issued and ultimately sustained losses.

Four more community-based lenders have been seized by regulators. That brings this year's tally of failed institutions to 84. But the number of fallen banks in the U.S. continues to lag behind the 139 closures recorded at this time during 2010. Officials with the FDIC say bank failures have peaked and are expected to continue to decline as the financial sector returns to health. This latest round of closings claimed two lenders in Georgia and one each in Colorado and Florida.