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House Democrats Urge President Obama to Nominate FHFA Director
On February 7, 45 Democratic Members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to President Obama requesting he nominate a permanent director for the FHFA to replace Acting Director Edward DeMarco. The Members object to the FHFA’s decision not to direct Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to offer principal reduction assistance to troubled borrowers. The FHFA and Mr. DeMarco believe that principal forgiveness does not improve foreclosure avoidance while reducing costs to taxpayers relative to existing policies. In their letter, the Members argue that the FHFA’s decision under Mr. DeMarco is contrary to the intent of the federal law that created the FHFA as conservator. Further, the Members charge that Mr. DeMarco’s stated reasoning has been contradicted by the FHFA’s own data, which indicates that principal reduction loan modifications could save U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars compared to both allowing underwater homes to go into foreclosure, and the FHFA’s preferred alternative of principal forbearance. In support of their position that a new director is needed to properly implement congressional directives meant to support the housing market, the Members also cite (i) the FHFA’s decision not to allow the implementation of a principle forgiveness pilot program, and (ii) recently proposed increased state-level guarantee fees charged by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in certain states.
Massachusetts Division of Banks Proposes Foreclosure Regulation Amendments
On January 7, the Massachusetts Division of Banks announced a public hearing to review proposed amendments to the state’s foreclosure and mortgage modification regulations. The proposed amendments would implement a recently passed law that makes it harder to foreclose in that state, including by creating a pre-foreclosure modification notice requirement for creditors. The amended regulation would (i) establish the processes for a borrower and creditor with regard to the borrower’s right to request a loan modification, (ii) establish the actions that constitute a borrower's good faith response to a creditor's notice of the right to request a loan modification, (iii) define good faith efforts by creditors to avoid foreclosure, and (iv) establish safe harbors for creditors that comply with the loan modification process. The hearing is scheduled for February 6, 2013, and the Division of Banks is accepting public comments on the proposal through February 15, 2013.
Massachusetts Offers Guidance on Mortgage Modifications for Non-Delinquent Borrowers and Troubled Debt Restructuring
On December 27, the Massachusetts Division of Banks issued guidance regarding the classification of the modification of a residential mortgage loan as troubled debt restructuring (TDR) when the loan is underwater. The guidance explains that the high loan-to-value ratio alone does not necessarily constitute a TDR, provided that the borrower is (i) performing satisfactorily under his or her mortgage loan, and (ii) is not experiencing financial hardships. In such cases, the Division has determined that a lender may choose to restructure or modify a residential loan per the revision in mortgage terms statute (Massachusetts General Laws chapter 183, section 63A), but the lender must (i) consider all facts and circumstances in determining whether the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty and whether the lender is granting a concession and (ii) perform and document its own analysis in making such a determination.
Freddie Mac Supplements Storm Relief Guidance
On December 18, Freddie Mac updated its disaster relief policies through Bulletin 2012-29 (Bulletin). Effective immediately, but only temporarily, servicers must perform one interior disaster-related property inspection for delinquent mortgages secured by properties in eligible disaster areas that have been identified as abandoned as of, or prior to the date of the area being declared an eligible disaster area. Freddie Mac will reimburse servicers up to $20 per property for the additional costs associated with completing the interior inspections. For mortgages secured by properties located in eligible disaster areas, which were reported as current in the most recent reporting cycle just prior to the area being declared an eligible disaster area, Freddie Mac will reimburse servicers up to $10 per property for one exterior property inspection related to the disaster. The Bulletin also provides instructions regarding forbearance plans for borrowers who are or were in approved or active trial period plans and whose property or places of employment are located in an eligible Hurricane Sandy disaster area.
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Announce Additional Storm Relief Measures
On November 9, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced that effective immediately servicers can suspend for 90 days evictions and foreclosures involving borrowers affected by Hurricane Sandy in order to assess the borrowers’ situations. In addition, next week Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will issue guidance to servicers to expand the options they can offer to homeowners impacted by the hurricane. Under the new Fannie Mae guidance, servicers will be authorized to (i) extend forbearance for up to 12 months, where appropriate, (ii) provide loan modifications, once the homeowner is able to resume monthly mortgage payments, (iii) waive any late payment charges, (iv) suspend credit reporting for any homeowner for whom relief is granted, and (v) delay the initiation of any foreclosure action to determine the condition of the property and the borrower’s employment and income status. Freddie Mac’s policy changes will authorize servicers to (i) automatically suspend for 90 days evictions and foreclosure sales for borrowers with homes secured by Freddie Mac owned-or guaranteed mortgages and located in eligible disaster areas, (ii) verbally grant 90-day forbearances to all borrowers in eligible disaster areas, including borrowers with mortgages modified under HAMP or who are currently in a HAMP or Standard Modification Trial Period Plan, and (iii) expedite the distribution of insurance proceeds on storm damage claims. Additionally, Freddie Mac will maintain pricing that was in place at the time of the storm for mortgages that are secured by homes in eligible disaster areas and delivered through Freddie Mac's bulk guarantor channel.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Issue Disaster Assistance Reminders for Servicers, Announce Disaster Policy Changes for Sellers
On October 31, Fannie Mae issued a servicing notice to remind servicers that they may temporarily suspend or reduce mortgage payments for up to ninety days for borrowers whose income is affected by a disaster or for borrowers within federally declared disaster areas. The notice also lists the steps a servicer providing relief measures must take once it becomes aware that a property has incurred damage as a result of a disaster. On November 1, Fannie Mae issued Selling Guide Announcement SEL-2012-12, which establishes a permanent selling policy for mortgages impacted by a disaster. This policy replaces Fannie Mae’s traditional approach of issuing Lender Letters for each disaster. Under the new policy, for mortgage loans other than DU Refi Plus and Refi Plus, lenders must take prudent and reasonable actions to determine whether the condition of the property may have materially changed since the effective date of the appraisal report, and whether an additional inspection or appraisal is necessary. The Announcement identifies specific criteria lenders should use when determining if a mortgage can be delivered without additional action. Fannie Mae will not require a property secured by a DU Refi Plus or Refi Plus mortgage to undergo an additional inspection and/or new appraisal following a disaster, and will not require that a property damaged as a result of a disaster be repaired prior to delivery as long as the loan meets the property insurance requirements described in the Selling Guide.
On October 30, Freddie Mac announced that its full menu of relief policies for borrowers affected by disaster is being extended to homeowners whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy and are located in jurisdictions that the President has declared to be Major Disaster Areas and where he has made federal Individual Assistance programs available to affected individuals and households. Freddie Mac encouraged servicers to help affected borrowers with Freddie Mac loans by (i) suspending foreclosure and eviction proceedings for up to 12 months, (ii) waiving assessments of penalties or late fees against borrowers with disaster-damaged homes, and (iii) not reporting forbearance or delinquencies caused by the disaster to the nation's credit bureaus. On November 2, Freddie Mac issued Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide Bulletin 2012-24 to revise selling requirements for properties damaged as a result of a disaster. The Bulletin explains that, on a temporary basis for mortgages secured by properties located in eligible Disaster Areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy, required property valuation and underwriting documentation must be dated no more than 180 days before the note date. For Relief Refinance Mortgages, sellers are not required to determine if an additional property inspection or a new appraisal is necessary after an initial property valuation has been relied upon, provided that the mortgage meets property insurance requirements.
State Law Update: California Enacts Additional Mortgage-Related Bills
Last week, California enacted several additional mortgage-related bills. First, AB 1599 requires that a mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent attach to the already required recorded notice of default and notice of sale, a summary of the information required to be contained in those notices. The notices must include a statement referencing the attached summary, but the summary need not be recorded or published. Second, SB 980 extends until January 1, 2017 the existing prohibition against persons facilitating loan modifications from requiring or accepting pre-performance compensation, requiring collateral to secure payment, or taking power of attorney from the borrower. Finally, AB 2010 requires that reverse mortgage counseling be conducted in person, unless the borrower elected to receive counseling in another manner.