GSEs

The head of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s regulator blamed “burdensome” local regulations for a lack of housing supply, and also provided an update on the administration’s plan for GSE reform.

There's been chatter about whether the government-sponsored enterprises should be considered systemically important. But supporters must consider that such a designation would put the Fed in charge of their supervision, a step that would do more harm than good.

The FHFA director’s recent comments about whether the government-sponsored enterprises should be designated as SIFIs tees up a potentially significant element of the mortgage finance debate.

Regulators want Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to build up massive amounts of capital before being freed from government control. Don Layton, Freddie's departing chief executive officer says that's easier said than done.

Craig Phillips, who has been developing the Trump administration's plan to help free Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from conservatorship, will leave Treasury next month.