Brian Montgomery seems on his way to being confirmed to lead the Federal Housing Administration. But once he gets there, he may find it difficult to be as innovative as he was during his first stint as commissioner — particularly when it comes to reducing FHA premiums.
The Senate Banking Committee voted to advance the nomination of Brian Montgomery to serve as commissioner of the Federal Housing Administration, despite ongoing criticism from some Democrats that he is too close to the financial services industry.
The Federal Housing Administration's recent actuarial report has added more fuel to the fire over concerns about reverse mortgages, including their effect on the overall FHA insurance fund and a rise in foreclosures.
The Federal Housing Administration was battered by losses this year from reverse mortgages, casting doubt on whether the agency will adopt an Obama-era proposal to reduce mortgage insurance premiums.
Trump officials have made clear their intent to reexamine how Federal Housing Administration lenders are cited under the False Claims Act, but whether that means lenders can rest easier is an open question.
More FHA homeowners than expected are refinancing out of the program and into conventional mortgages, despite an increase in mortgage rates over the past year.
The HUD secretary’s comment that such use of the False Claims Act was “ridiculous” may delight the mortgage industry but does not bode well for taxpayers or the federal government’s future fraud enforcement efforts.
Growth in loans with higher debt-to-income ratios is reviving focus on a regulatory exemption for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other federal agencies that back mortgages.
Mark Calabria, the chief economic adviser to Vice President Mike Pence, said the administration is focused for now on more pressing issues than GSE reform, including addressing housing damage from recent hurricanes.
