Topic
GSEs
Some of the first — and still largest — casualties of the housing crisis were the government sponsored enterprises. The Federal Housing Finance Agency — the new GSE regulator created on July 30 — placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorship on Sept. 7. The agency replaced their chief executive officers and said it would deemphasize the pursuit of profits. Since placed in conservatorship, the two companies have taken government-directed steps to help encourage more loan modifications even while they continue to suffer massive losses. The future of the companies is wide open. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has said the charters need to be rewritten, and Democrats could take such steps next year as part of regulatory restructuring. Following are a collection of articles on policy issues surrounding the government-sponsored enterprises.
No Exit? Delayed GSE Plan Limits New Options
American Banker | Mar 15The Obama administration's reluctance to put forth a plan for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac only increases the chance that the GSEs will become permanent arms of government.
Haggles Over Loan Buybacks Leave Freddie Mac Waiting for $4B
American Banker | Feb 25It's no secret that GSEs have been aggressively pushing dicey mortgages back to lenders. But data released by Freddie Mac shows lenders are doing plenty of pushing back.
Fannie, Freddie No Longer Fight Each Other for Lenders' Business
American Banker | Feb 18Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, once fierce rivals for mortgage lenders' business, have been forced into a kinship of sorts under federal conservatorship.
FASB Rule Complicates GSEs' Future
American Banker | Jan 25The GSEs are being hit hard by a rule released last summer by the Financial Accounting Standards Board requiring companies to bring securitizations onto their balance sheets.
Johnson to Confront GSE Issue; "Pragmatic" Leadership Expected
American Banker | Jan 07Even as Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd announced his plan to retire, speculation began over how his probable successor, Sen. Tim Johnson, would handle the tricky ...
More Help for GSEs May Mean Changes to Hamp
American Banker | Dec 29The Treasury Department's pledge of unlimited support for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may foreshadow changes to the Obama administration's Home Affordable Modification Program.
FHFA Takes Aim at GSE Compensation
American Banker | Dec 28As Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac enter another year under government conservatorship, their regulator clamped down on executive compensation Thursday.
Treasury Extends Support for GSEs
American Banker | Dec 28On the same day that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced multi-million dollar compensation packages for its chief executives, the Treasury Department expanded ...
How Reform Minus GSEs Will Add Up
American Banker | Dec 28Observers say that, while politically expedient, the decision by the Obama administration and congressional leaders to exclude Fannie and Freddie from their reform efforts ...
GSEs Find Seized Homes Easier to Empty than Rent
American Banker | Oct 14The foreclosure crisis has turned Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into big property owners, but neither has become a significant landlord.
