The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it has entered into an historic Conciliation Agreement (Agreement) with The Appraisal Foundation (TAF), an organization responsible for setting standards and qualifications for real estate appraisers and providing voluntary guidance for appraisers. This Agreement resolves a Secretary-initiated complaint against TAF alleging discriminatory barriers preventing qualified Black people and other persons of color from entering the appraisal profession on the basis of race in violation of the Fair Housing Act.… Continue Reading

On June 25th, the CFPB issued an interim final rule with a request for public comment extending the compliance dates for the Small Business Lending Rule in light of the Supreme Court’s decision finding the funding structure of the CFPB to be constitutional in CFPB v. Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA).… Continue Reading

As part of the CFPB’s crusade against junk fees, CFPB Director, Rohit Chopra addressed credit report fees in prepared remarks at the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Secondary & Capital Markets Conference & Expo 2024. While Director Chopra began his remarks by commenting on the increasing cost of mortgage loan transactions, stating that both consumers and lenders are negatively affected, he focused most of his remarks on the increasing costs of obtaining consumer credit reports.… Continue Reading

On May 16, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 7-2 decision, ruled that the CFPB’s funding mechanism does not violate the Appropriations Clause of the U.S. Constitution. That ruling is discussed here.

Shortly after the ruling, the CFPB issued a statement about the decision. It stated that “The Supreme Court has rejected [the] radical theory that would have devastated the American financial markets.… Continue Reading

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), recently issued Mortgagee Letter 2024-07 addressing reconsideration of value (ROV) policies in connection with appraisals for FHA insured mortgage loans under the Title II forward mortgage loan and reverse mortgage loan programs. The amended Mortgagee Letter may be implemented immediately but must be implemented for FHA case numbers assigned on or after September 2, 2024.… Continue Reading

The CFPB’s Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) provided its annual report to Congress covering the agency’s efforts in 2023. Section 342 of the Dodd-Frank, Wall Street Reform, and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) mandates that the OMWI agency provide an annual report to Congress regarding the successes achieved, challenges, and other findings.… Continue Reading

The CFPB (or “Bureau”) filed a cross-motion for summary judgment in the lawsuit regarding the small business lending data collection and reporting rule, also known as the 1071 rule based on the Dodd-Frank section that requires the CFPB to adopt the rule (the “Rule”). Last month, the plaintiffs and intervenors in the lawsuit challenging the Rule filed a consolidated motion for summary judgment.… Continue Reading

The CFPB published its Consumer Response Annual Report for 2023, which discusses the consumer complaints received by the CFPB in that year and how companies responded to those complaints. The CFPB monitors consumers’ complaints and companies’ responses in order to glean information about the types of challenges consumers are experiencing with financial products and services.… Continue Reading

The CFPB published a blog discussing a few key takeaways from a series of public hearings addressing appraisal bias.

For background, the Federal Financial Institution Examination Council’s (FFIEC’s) Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) has held four public hearings throughout 2023-2024 to facilitate discussions regarding bias and lack of diversity within the appraisal business.… Continue Reading