InfoBytes Blog
OCC Issues Guidance for Banks Originating Mortgages with LTV Ratios Greater than 100 Percent as Part of Community Revitalization Efforts
On August 21, in an effort to assist in revitalizing distressed communities, the OCC released guidance for national banks and federal savings associations considering owner-occupied residential mortgage originations with loan-to-value (LTV) ratios greater than 100 percent. Bulletin 2017-28 includes, among other thing, the program criteria, which includes (i) permanent first-lien mortgages with LTV ratios exceeding 100 percent at time of origination, without mortgage insurance or other acceptable collateral, and with an original loan balance of $200,000 or less, (ii) communities that are “officially targeted for revitalization by a federal, state, or municipal government entity or agency,” (iii) a set of program policies and procedures, and (iv) providing notice to the OCC thirty days prior to starting or modifying a program.
Established programs will be actively monitored and evaluated to examine the performance of the LTV loans, and the programs as a whole will be evaluated at least annually to determine the extent to which they are aiding in revitalization efforts. Depending on its findings, the OCC reserves the right to amend or rescind Bulletin 2017-28, but maintains that any loans originated in agreement with the required provisions will not be affected “solely because of any measurable amendment or rescission of this [B]ulletin.”“Bank lending under such a program may serve the credit needs of individual borrowers and the community, and the bank may receive Community Reinvestment Act consideration depending on the specifics of the program,” the OCC noted.