Housing finance reform

FHFA Director Mel Watt warned Thursday that to prevent a potential draw on the Treasury Department by the government-sponsored enterprises, he is willing to act unilaterally to rebuild capital at Fannie and Freddie.

If proposed tax cuts were enacted, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would be required to make an initial adjustment that could wipe out their capital.

The Treasury secretary on Monday reiterated an aggressive timetable for tackling the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, an issue that has long flummoxed Congress.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling said they believed an agreement on housing finance reform could be struck in this Congress.

The Mortgage Bankers Association released a detailed transition plan Thursday designed to help policymakers turn the government-sponsored enterprises into private guarantors of mortgage-backed securities.

Suspending Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's regular dividend payments to the Treasury, thus enabling the companies to replenish their reserve capital, would put their future on better footing.

The groups and industry trade associations want the Treasury Department and the FHFA to allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to build up capital reserves.

Implementation of the second phase of the common securitization platform had been projected for next year, but the anticipated time frame was delayed following "lessons learned" from the first phase.

Though it's too early to have a concrete plan regarding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the administration is creating a set of principles that it hopes to release in a few months.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo said Wednesday that although he plans to begin working on housing finance reform and changes to the Dodd-Frank Act, the poor relationship between Democrats and Republicans will hinder any progress.

Steven Mnuchin was confirmed 53-47 as Treasury secretary late Monday after two days of debate in which Democrats questioned the former banker's honesty.

The Mortgage Bankers Association is trying to jump-start discussions around housing finance reform even as political dysfunction on Capitol Hill is reaching new lows.

The Mortgage Bankers Association unveiled a new housing finance reform plan on Tuesday designed to kick-start congressional discussions over what to do with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

A federal appeals court ruled Monday that the Treasury Department will have to hand over more documents to investors of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac related to its profit sweep of the two government-sponsored enterprises.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary-designate Ben Carson is open to finding alternatives to the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, but believes there must be some government backstop to the housing market.

Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin will divest himself of his investments and interests in a number of companies and funds once confirmed, including a fund that has bet on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac being recapitalized and released from government control.

The Federal Housing Administration said it would cut the annual premium by 25 basis points starting on Jan. 27, giving President-elect Donald Trump a limited window to delay or scrap the cut.

In just under a year, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp has emerged as a key player on the Banking Committee, helping to work on a bipartisan housing finance reform bill and championing legislation to provide relief to small banks.