Mortgages

Townstone Financial in Chicago had been accused of discriminating against certain consumers by trying to discourage them from applying for home loans. However, a judge ruled that federal law protects only actual applicants.

The group, led by Senate Banking Chairman Sen. Sherrod Brown, said nonperforming loans sold to single family housing rental businesses or private equity firms results in the displacement of homeowners.

The Long Island company is closing 69% of the retail home lending offices previously operated by Flagstar Bancorp. New York Community recently acquired Flagstar for $2.6 billion.

The $41.2 billion-asset Los Angeles bank says it will wind down its premium finance and multifamily lending segments and intentionally slow loan growth.

During a hearing on racial bias in home valuation, the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau questions the Appraisal Foundation's "weird" regulatory structure.

The breaks for some lower-income borrowers are welcomed, but the use of debt-to-income as a differentiator could complicate originations at a challenging time, lenders say.

Updates will become effective on May 1 and a uniform mortgage-backed securities fee reduction will begin on April 1.

The Texas bank will let customers go through the entire process on their phones, at the same time that it emphasizes human service that is not impacted by commissions.

Fannie Mae has selected five organizations to share in a $5 million pilot program aimed at expanding and promoting affordable housing and Black homeownership.

A month after the National Community Reinvestment Coalition blasted KeyBank's mortgage lending record to Black borrowers, the group said it will send letters to the Federal Reserve and OCC about its findings.