Tag Archives: HUD

The Obama administration is setting the stage for a public-private collaboration to tackle the growing inventory of REO homes. On Wednesday, federal officials called on private investors and industry stakeholders to share their recommendations on how best to dispose of foreclosed homes held by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA. Together, the three hold nearly 250,000 REO homes. Federal officials believe the most effective tactic is to sell off pools of properties to responsible investors who will employ an REO-to-rental strategy.

Bank of America and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have reached a settlement regarding 57,000 delinquent government-issued mortgages serviced by the bank. Under the agreement, BofA must pursue loan modifications with the 57,000 borrowers that it previously did not offer foreclosure alternatives. However, the servicer will not be held liable for foregoing such efforts in the past, though the actions are required by HUD.

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a civil lawsuit against Robert S. Luce, founder and president of MDR Mortgage Corp. a mortgage lending business located in Palatine, Illinois. The complaint centers around 90 Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans that went into default. According to the complaint, HUD was required to pay more than $1.6 million in insurance claims on the loans, which Luce and MDR were not authorized to originate.

In its own private negotiations with state attorneys general and officials at HUD and the U.S. Justice Department, Bank of America is reportedly bringing principal reductions to the bargaining table. BofA and four other mortgage servicers have been in discussions with state and federal officials to settle investigations into foreclosure practices involving faulty paperwork and illegal affidavits, but talks have stalled. To move things along, BofA has put forth its own proposal for principal write-downs in exchange for liability protections.

The Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) Mortgagee Review Board has announced sanctions against 240 FHA-approved lenders. The federal agency says these lenders failed to meet its underwriting requirements for home loans, which are designed to minimize the risk of default. Actions taken against the 240 lenders include reprimands, probations, suspensions, and civil money penalties. In addition, some lenders will have their FHA-approval revoked.

HUD and NeighborWorks have extended the deadline for homeowners who have experienced a loss of income to apply for the Emergency Homeowners' Loan Program (EHLP). The new deadline is Wednesday, July 27. The cut-off date had originally been set for Friday, July 22. EHLP assists homeowners who are at risk of foreclosure due to involuntary unemployment or underemployment as a result of the economy or a medical condition. Qualifying homeowners are awarded an interest free loan to pay a portion of their monthly mortgage for up to two years.

With no sustained pickup in the job market, over six million Americans have been unemployed for longer than 27 weeks. Such extended periods of joblessness remain the predominant force behind high volumes of seriously past-due mortgages. With these realities weighing on an already fragile market, the federal government said Thursday it will extend the mortgage forbearance period for unemployed homeowners to a year under the Federal Housing Administration and Making Home Affordable programs.

Sales of government-owned REOs have been delayed in New England, but HUD says it's working to expedite a fix. Closings in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, and Vermont are expected to begin later this month. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, REO closings have already resumed. HUD says buyer demand has been so great, it has already exhausted the money that was allocated to cover third-party disposition fees. Contracts will be extended at no cost to the buyer until additional funding is put into place.

Law enforcement officials say fraudsters and con artists see opportunity in turmoil, and right now, arguably the most tumultuous economic sector is housing. In its first year, the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force more than doubled the number of defendants charged with mortgage fraud. Mortgage fraud punishments followed the same trend, with nearly twice as many prison sentences of more than two years. But task force members say it's not enough, especially when the economy hasn't fully recovered.

HUD announced a revised Notice of Disclosure form that emphasizes the rights of active duty military and their dependents who are protected under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Under the SCRA, military personnel on active duty are entitled to mortgage relief, including a lower interest rate on their mortgages and foreclosure protection. HUD says it is the lender's responsibility to determine military status in connection with a foreclosure.