MBA Asks HUD to Withhold Publication of Final Disparate Impact Rule

The Mortgage Bankers Association last night asked HUD to withhold publication of its final disparate rule, citing “legitimate concerns” that the rule erodes protections needed to combat housing discrimination and systemic inequality.

Industry Briefs July 14, 2020

FirstClose Inc., Austin, Texas, a provider of technology platforms for banks and credit unions, partnered with Temenos, a banking software company. With integration of the FirstClose ONE platform into Temenos Infinity Loan Origination, customers can order instant and bundled reports on credit, flood, valuation, tax and title directly from the loan origination system.

May New Home Sales Post Healthy 16.6% Gain

Home buyer enthusiasm for new homes intensified in May, HUD and the Census Bureau reported yesterday, jumping by 16.6 percent from April and by nearly 13 percent from a year ago.

Dealmaker: Merchants Capital Arranges $83M

Merchants Capital, Carmel, Ind., secured $82.9 million in financing for a Cincinnati mixed-use property and affordable housing in Joliet, Ill.

May Housing Starts Post Modest Increase

HUD and the Census Bureau yesterday reported May housing starts improved by 4.3 percent, stopping a two-month freefall in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Industry Briefs June 16, 2020

To help limited English proficiency borrowers who are experiencing mortgage-related difficulties due to the coronavirus national emergency, the Federal Housing Finance Agency added new translations to the Mortgage Translations website. Site visitors can now choose English, Spanish, traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, or Tagalog when accessing scripts that servicers use when discussing COVID-19 forbearance with borrowers.

MBA, Trade Groups Urge HUD to Modify FHA Forbearance Indemnification Policy

Sixteen industry trade organizations joined the Mortgage Bankers Association in a letter this week to HUD, expressing concerns with a recently announced FHA policy requiring lenders to provide 20 percent indemnification of the original loan amount for up to two years in relation to borrowers who enter into forbearance due to COVID19-related hardship after closing and prior to FHA insuring their loan.