Policy and Regulation

A budget item establishing a new agency to protect consumers from predatory lenders has been put on hold as state officials deal with the coronavirus response and other priorities. But it could be revived in legislative talks later this summer.

Unlike in previous years, the results from two different evaluations will be released simultaneously and will include an assessment of bank capital under coronavirus-related scenarios.

The FHFA’s proposal is intended to strengthen Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but many experts warn that it could boost guarantee fees for lenders that they say may be passed on to borrowers.

The FHFA looks to shed light on the amount of funds Fannie and Freddie will need to hold for their risk-sharing deals.

The firm also predicts that the coronavirus pandemic will delay the GSEs' release from government control.

The changes being sought would benefit both small businesses and banks, which would avoid the cost of servicing many low-yielding loans.

With no way of knowing just how many borrowers will need the mods after the coronavirus forbearance period ends, lenders are deploying artificial intelligence and servicing protocols to tame the ferocious piles of paperwork awaiting them.

The new regulation is intended as a workaround for banks affected by the 2015 decision that created legal uncertainty for loans sold across state lines.

The congressional showdown over the pace of rulemaking during the pandemic is a hardening of older positions on banking policy ahead of the 2020 elections, observers said.

Some observers wonder if proposed regulatory targets for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will stoke concerns about low shareholder returns. But others suggest those fears are unfounded.