CREF Policy Update: Lauryn Enrico Joins MBA as Vice President of Commercial Real Estate Finance Policy

September 22, 2026

Lauryn Enrico Joins MBA as Vice President of Commercial Real Estate Finance Policy

MBA last week announced that Lauryn Enrico has joined the association’s CREF division senior leadership team as Vice President of Commercial Real Estate Finance Policy.

She joins MBA from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), where she held progressively senior roles, most recently serving as Senior Financial Analyst. Prior to joining FHFA, she was a Director at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Housing Service and previously served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

What they’re saying: “I’m excited that Lauryn will be joining us to make MBA’s strong team even stronger. She brings a robust combination of policy expertise, regulatory experience, and a deep understanding of the issues shaping commercial and multifamily real estate finance,” said Jamie Woodwell, Senior Vice President of Commercial/Multifamily Policy and Strategic Industry Engagement. “Her experience at FHFA, HUD, and USDA will be invaluable as MBA continues to advocate for policies that support strong and sustainable commercial real estate markets. We are excited to have her join the team and look forward to the perspective and leadership she will bring to our members.”

Why it matters: Enrico, who fills the position of departing VP Megan Booth (retiring in October), will lead MBA’s policy strategy and advocacy on multifamily issues involving the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the GSEs), serve as a technical expert and lead staff representative for key member committees, and represent MBA before federal housing and financial regulators. She will also contribute to MBA conferences and educational programs and collaborate with industry groups on commercial real estate finance issues.

For more information, please contact Lauryn Enrico at (202) 557-2715.

Bipartisan TRIA Legislation Passes Senate Banking Committee

Last week, the Senate Banking Committee passed the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2026 (S. 4395) by a unanimous vote of 24-0.

The legislation, authored by Senators David McCormick (R-PA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), is a “clean,” seven-year reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 (TRIA).
Ahead of Thursday’s vote, MBA sent a letter of support for the legislation and also joined two joint coalition letters (here and here).

What they’re saying: MBA President and CEO Bob Broeksmit, CMB, in a press statement said, “The Senate Banking Committee’s bipartisan advancement of a seven-year reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program is an important step toward providing continued stability and certainty in commercial real estate markets. Reauthorizing the program will provide greater certainty for lenders, investors, and insurers and help support continued investment in commercial real estate and the broader economy.”

Why it matters: The Banking Committee’s reporting of the TRIA legislation to the Senate floor brings the reauthorization one step closer to becoming law. The House previously (on June 29th) passed a similar version of the legislation (H.R. 7128) by a wide bipartisan margin.

What’s next: MBA will continue working with lawmakers in both chambers to push for alignment on TRIA reauthorization prior to year’s end. Recent conversations indicate House and Senate leaders will likely try to reconcile the minor differences between the two competing versions during a “lame-duck,” post-election session of Congress this November.

For more information, please contact George Rogers at (202) 557-2797 or Jeremy Green at (202) 557-2849.

FOMC Raises Interest Rates for First Time in Three Years

Last Wednesday, the Federal Reserve raised the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to a target range of 3.75%–4.00% and signaled it might hike rates again this year.

What they’re saying: In a statement, MBA SVP and Chief Economist Mike Fratantoni said, “Longer-term rates, including mortgage rates, had already baked in the expectation of hikes at this and future meetings. Thus, longer-term rates have not moved much in response to this news. Housing and mortgage activity slowed abruptly as mortgage rates moved higher over the past several weeks. MBA forecasts two additional hikes from the Fed over the next year and expects mortgage rates to stay near current levels over the forecast horizon.”

For more information, please contact Mike Fratantoni at (202) 557-2935.

Matt Jones Nominated to Serve as FHA Commissioner

Last Tuesday, President Donald Trump nominated Matt Jones, currently HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary for Single-family Housing, to serve as HUD Assistant Secretary for Housing and FHA Commissioner.

If confirmed, Jones would oversee both FHA’s multifamily/health care and single-family mortgage insurance programs.

Go deeper: An MBA alum, Jones previously served as Associate Vice President for Government Housing Finance, where he oversaw MBA’s government lending portfolio and managed its Residential Board of Governors (RESBOG). He was previously senior advisor for capital markets at Amerifirst Home Mortgage and a senior U.S. Senate staffer, serving as Senior Counsel to both the Senate Banking and Finance Committees under Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID).

What they’re saying: In a statement of support, MBA President and CEO Bob Broeksmit, CMB, said, “Matt brings an impressive combination of hands-on mortgage industry experience, deep knowledge of government housing finance, and a strong understanding of how FHA programs can better serve homebuyers, renters, and lenders.”

What’s next: The Senate Banking Committee will schedule and hold a confirmation hearing for Jones at a later date, likely after the November midterm elections. Once that panel votes on Jones’ confirmation, a Senate floor vote will be scheduled in turn (timing to be determined).

For more information, please contact George Rogers at (202) 557-2797 and Jeremy Green at (202) 557-2849.

Senate Banking Committee Advances CFPB Director Johnson Nomination

Last Thursday, the Senate Banking Committee advanced Brian Johnson’s nomination to serve as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) by a vote of 13-11.

Johnson previously served as CFPB Deputy Director and in other senior policy roles at the Bureau and in the private sector.

What they’re saying: In a press statement, MBA’s Broeksmit said, “MBA supports the Senate Banking Committee’s approval of Brian Johnson’s nomination to lead the CFPB and urges the full Senate to confirm him. Johnson’s years of experience at the Bureau, combined with his deep understanding of consumer financial services and mortgage markets, position him to provide the strong leadership needed to ensure the CFPB fulfills its mission while advancing the Administration’s efforts to modernize mortgage regulations, lower costs, and promote a more efficient and accessible housing finance system.”

Why it matters: If confirmed, MBA will work with Director Johnson and CFPB staff and will continue advocating for clear, consistent regulation that reduces unnecessary regulatory burdens.

What’s next: MBA will continue to advocate for Johnson’s nomination to be confirmed by the full Senate, with a vote likely to occur after the midterm elections in November.

For more information, please contact George Rogers at (202) 557-2797 or Jeremy Green at (202) 557-2849.

House Financial Services Committee Advances Legislation in Final Pre-election Markup

Last Wednesday, the House Financial Services Committee held its final markup before the November elections, advancing several bills of significance to the real estate finance industry.

Read MBA’s letter sent ahead of the markup. A summary is here.

Go deeper: Among the measures approved were:

H.R. 10184, the Consumer Financial Protection Accountability and Reform Act, a broad package that would increase congressional oversight of the CFPB and make changes to its supervisory, enforcement, and regulatory authorities;
H.R. 5889, the Eviction Helpline Act, which would establish a HUD-administered hotline to provide eviction-related assistance to tenants in federally assisted rental housing. The bill advanced by a bipartisan vote of 47-2;
H.R. 7030, the Securing Facilities for Mental Health Services Act, which would expand access to FHA Section 242 financing for qualified inpatient psychiatric facilities; and,
The Committee also considered H.R. 10325, which would have increased individual Federal Home Loan Banks’ mandatory Affordable Housing Program contribution levels from 10 to 15 percent. Though the measure failed to pass, further dialogue to try and develop a consensus on the bill is expected in the upcoming 120^th Congress in 2027.

Why it matters: The markup highlights continued congressional focus on housing affordability, access to credit, CFPB governance and oversight, and the role of housing finance institutions in addressing the nation’s housing challenges.

What’s next: The House has recessed until after the November elections, and a House floor vote on any of these reported measures during the upcoming “lame-duck” session appears unlikely. MBA will continue to engage with lawmakers and key House staff once Congress returns in November to advance any remaining MBA priorities and other issues important to the real estate finance industry.

For more information, please contact Rachel Kelley at (202) 557-2816 and Madisyn Rhone at (202) 557-2741.

CREF Commercial Council Closes FY2026 With a Look at What’s Shaping CRE Finance

Last week, MBA’s CREF Commercial Council closed out FY2026 with a series of conversations of interest across commercial real estate finance capital sources and sectors. The virtual meeting included timely economic, CRE market, policy, and regulatory updates and discussions of fund finance and the rapidly evolving role of AI.

MBA Chief Economist Michael Fratantoni, Ph.D. provided a real-time response to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate increase;
VP of CREF Policy Megan Booth detailed the policy issues MBA is most focused on as Congress finishes its pre-election work;
Lisa Kwasnowski of Morningstar DBRS brought a member perspective to the growing conversation around fund finance; and,
David Harrison of Midland led a discussion on AI topics and applications.

The meeting gave members an opportunity to hear what their peers are seeing, share experiences, and explore how emerging trends are playing out across the industry.

Why it matters: The Commercial Council brings together CRE finance professionals with different perspectives from across the industry for candid conversations about what they are seeing in the market, what is changing, and what deserves attention next.

What’s next: FY2027 will bring a new slate of Commercial Council discussions, with more opportunities to hear directly from industry peers, exchange perspectives, and stay connected to the issues shaping CRE finance.

For more information, please contact Kelli Burke at (202) 557-2742.

Closing Out Advocacy Week: Key Takeaways from the MAA Pre‑Election Webinar

Last Friday marked the final day of MBA Advocacy Week, our grassroots push to activate the entire industry in an election year. The initiative is designed to make advocacy accessible, visible, and impactful—whether members engage on social media, join MAA or MORPAC company campaigns, or attend events like Tuesday’s MAA Pre-Election Webinar.

Participants heard the latest insights on key congressional races, the policy priorities likely to dominate the post-election agenda, and how MBA members can continue to play an active role in shaping housing policy through grassroots advocacy.
Couldn’t make it but want a copy of the recording? Email maa@mba.org.

Why it matters: Election years bring shifts in congressional leadership and priorities that directly shape the policy landscape for housing finance. Staying engaged—through advocacy, education, and relationship-building with lawmakers—ensures MBA members have a voice at the table as new policy agendas take shape. The insights shared during MBA Advocacy Week events help members understand what’s coming and how to prepare, so the industry isn’t just reacting to change, but helping to shape it.

What’s next: Join us for MBA’s Town Hall: MAA Post-Election Special Edition on Nov. 10, from 3:00–3:45 p.m. ET, for a timely discussion of the election results, changes in congressional leadership, and what the new political landscape means for MBA’s advocacy priorities moving forward.

And no matter which party controls Congress, roughly 20% of all elected officials are expected to be newcomers due to a record wave of planned retirements and election outcomes — so we hope to see you at MBA’s National Advocacy Conference (NAC), April 6–7, 2027. Registration is now open.

For more information, please contact Jamey Lynch at (202) 557-2818, Erin Reilly at (202) 557-2751 or Mike Fiegoli at (202) 557-2708.

Upcoming MBA CREF Council and Committee Meetings

MBA’s CREF Councils and Committees are a key way to connect to everything MBA has to offer around policy, advocacy, market intelligence and research, education, and networking. Visit www.mba.org/yourCREF to find out more. Councils and Committees are built around specific capital sources and serve as an opportunity for you to join other commercial real estate finance professionals to hear from experts, discuss opportunities and challenges, and connect with peers.

Upcoming virtual meetings include:

For more information, click on the links above and/or contact Kelli Burke at (202) 557- 2742.

Upcoming MBA Education Webinars on Critical Industry Issues

MBA Education continues to deliver timely commercial/multifamily and single-family programming that covers the spectrum of challenges, opportunities, obstacles and solutions pertaining to our industry. Below, please see a list of upcoming and recent webinars – all complimentary to MBA members:

AI in Commercial Real Estate Finance: The AI-Powered Originator and Relationship Manager – Oct. 5
AI in Commercial Mortgage Finance: Intelligent Deal Screening and Pre-Underwriting – Nov. 2
Overview of Commercial/Multifamily Insurance Compliance – Nov. 5
AI in Commercial Mortgage Finance: Intelligent Document Processing Beyond OCR – Dec. 7
Analyzing the Commercial/Multifamily Borrower’s Balance Sheet and REO Schedule – Dec. 10

MBA members can register for any of the above events and view recent webinar recordings by clicking here.

For more information, please contact David Upbin at (202) 557-2931.

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