In Brief: SBA Study: Make Banks Handle Loan Defaults

The Small Business Administration should require lenders to take more responsibility for liquidating defaulted loans, according to a recent report by the SBA's office of inspector general.

In some SBA districts, lenders handle most loan liquidations. But in others, the agency's staff does the work. The study recommends that the lenders do it, to free up the SBA's limited personnel.

Over the last four years, the number of SBA loans made through the 7 (A) program has nearly doubled, while the federal agency's staff dropped 25%, to 2,900.

The inspector general recommended that preferred and certified lenders take full responsibility for loan liquidations and suggested that the agency revoke preferred or certified lender status if the lenders can't handle their duties efficiently.

However, the lenders, many of which lend in several regions, said they were frustrated by different liquidation policies in different districts.

Lenders also complained about having to seek approval from SBA personnel for each step in the liquidation process even after the SBA had endorsed their plans.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER