Regulatory Updates

HUD: Department Seeks Public Comment on Disparate Impact Regulation

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it will formally seek the public’s comment on whether its 2013 Disparate Impact Regulation is consistent with the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. Inclusive Communities Project, Inc. “HUD remains committed to making sure housing-related…

CFPB: Spring 2018 Rulemaking Agenda Released

The Bureau’s general purpose, as specified in section 1021 of the Dodd-Frank Act, is to implement and enforce federal consumer financial law consistently for the purpose of ensuring that all consumers have access to markets for consumer financial products and services and that markets for consumer financial products and services are fair, transparent, and competitive….

FHFA: Correction and Extended Comment Period for Proposed Rule Amending FHLB Affordable Housing Program Regulation

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced that it is extending the comment period for the Agency’s proposed rule to amend the Federal Home Loan Banks’ Affordable Housing Program by 30 days.  The comment period was previously set to close on May 14, 2018, 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.  The comment…

CFPB: Amendent to “Know Before You Owe” Mortgage Disclosure Rule Finalized

Today the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) finalized an amendment to its “Know Before You Owe” mortgage disclosure rule that addresses when mortgage lenders with a valid justification may pass on increased closing costs to consumers and disclose them on a Closing Disclosure. The update is intended to provide greater clarity and certainty to…

Treasury Department: Community Reinvestment Act Modernization Recommendations Released

Today the U.S. Department of the Treasury released recommendations to modernize the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). The recommendations were issued to the primary CRA regulators, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Board, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.  Treasury’s objective in developing these recommendations is to better align CRA activity…

CFPB: Final Rule Issued to Help Mortgage Servicers Communicate with Certain Borrowers Facing Bankruptcy

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) today issued a final rule to help mortgage servicers communicate with certain borrowers facing bankruptcy. The final rule gives mortgage servicers more latitude in providing periodic statements to consumers entering or exiting bankruptcy, as required by the Bureau’s 2016 mortgage servicing rule. The Truth in Lending Act requires mortgage…

FHFA: Proposed Rule Amending Federal Home Loan Banks’ Affordable Housing Program Regulation Issued

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is seeking comments on proposed amendments to its regulation on the Federal Home Loan Banks’ (FHLBanks) Affordable Housing Program (AHP). The proposed amendments would authorize the FHLBanks to redesign their project selection systems and create special targeted funds, which would allow the FHLBanks more flexibility to align their AHP…

HUD: Wholesale Review of Manufactured Housing Rules Announced

Public comment sought in effort to identify regulations that stifle affordable housing and job creation The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced a top-to-bottom review of its manufactured housing rules as part of a broader effort to identify regulations that may be ineffective, overly burdensome, or excessively costly given the critical…

CFPB: Changes Finalized to Prepaid Account Rules

Changes Provide More Flexibility and Extend Effective Date to April 2019 The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) announced today that it has finalized updates to its 2016 prepaid rule. The Bureau’s 2016 prepaid rule put in place requirements for treatment of funds on lost or stolen cards, error resolution and investigation, upfront fee disclosures, access…

Interagency Guidance: 2018 Annual CRA Asset-Size Threshold Adjustments Released

FDIC Release Federal Reserve Release OCC Release The federal bank regulatory agencies today announced the annual adjustment to the asset-size thresholds used to define small bank, small savings association, intermediate small bank, and intermediate small savings association under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) regulations. The annual adjustments are required by the CRA rules. Financial institutions…