CFPB, Federal Agencies, State Agencies, and Attorneys General
The FHFA announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will require mortgage servicers to maintain certain fair lending data elements, including the borrower’s age, race, ethnicity, gender, and preferred language. The fair lending data must be stored in a searchable format, and must transfer with servicing throughout the loan term.
On the topic, Freddie Mac issued Bulletin 2022-17, and Fannie Mae issued Servicing Guide Announcement SVC-2022-06.… Continue Reading
The CFPB has filed a lawsuit against Oakland, CA-based online lender LendUpLoans alleging that LendUp is in violation of a 2016 Consent Order that required the lender to pay over $3.5 million in consumer redress as well as civil penalties and to cease misleading consumers with alleged false claims about the cost of loans and the benefits of repeat borrowing.… Continue Reading
Two leaders of the CFPB’s Fair Lending Office – Patrice Ficklin, Fair Lending Director, and Charles Nier, Senior Fair Lending Counsel – recently published an article advocating for broader use of special purpose credit programs (“SPCPs”) by creditors. The article, entitled “The Use of Special Purpose Credit Programs to Promote Racial and Economic Equity” and framed as an essay, can be found in the Poverty & Race Research Action Council’s (“PRRAC”) May 2021 edition of its series on new directions in racial justice in housing finance and is available here. … Continue Reading
Under the leadership of Acting CFPB Director Dave Uejio, the Bureau issued an interpretive rule on March 9, 2021 clarifying that the prohibition against sex discrimination under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (“ECOA”) and Regulation B includes sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination. This prohibition includes discrimination based on actual or perceived non-conformity with traditional sex- or gender-based stereotypes, and discrimination based on an applicant’s social or other associations.… Continue Reading
On January 26, 2021, the FTC sent its annual letter to the CFPB reporting on the FTC’s activities related to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (“ECOA”) and Regulation B. The Bureau leverages the FTC’s annual letter for its own Annual Report to Congress on ECOA.
The FTC has authority to enforce the ECOA and Regulation B with respect to nonbank financial service providers within its jurisdiction.… Continue Reading
On July 28, 2020, the CFPB issued a request for information (“RFI”) seeking public input on how best to create a regulatory environment that expands access to credit and ensures consumers and communities are protected from discrimination in all aspects of credit transactions. The Bureau issued the RFI in lieu of a symposium it had planned to host this fall on Equal Credit Opportunity Act (“ECOA”) issues.… Continue Reading
On May 6, 2020, the CFPB issued an ECOA/Regulation B “Compliance Aid” containing three FAQs that clarify certain issues related to notification of action taken on Small Business Administration (“SBA”) Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan applications. We understand that the Bureau provided the guidance in response to inquiries from banking trade associations on behalf of their members concerning technical compliance with Regulation B in managing the large influx of PPP loan applications.… Continue Reading
