Now that the pandemic’s “social distancing” is lessening, we hope you are all able to gather with friends and family this Thanksgiving. As we do the same, we wanted to count our blessings as we review the year. This year, we are thankful for being able to return to our offices, our favorite restaurants, and
Agencies’ Joint Statement on Supervisory and Enforcement Practices Forecasts Increased Scrutiny and Regulatory Activity
On November 10, 2021, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and state financial regulators issued a Joint Statement on Supervisory and Enforcement Practices Regarding the Mortgage Servicing Rules in Response
New York Adds ADA-Type Requirement and Teeth to Debt Collection Procedure Act
On October 8, the governor of New York signed Bill No. AO-2260A to assist borrowers who need accommodation for visual impairments. Bill No. AO-2260A is “an act to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring debt collectors to inform debtors that written communications are available in large print format” (or other different formats).
CFPB Releases TRID Guidance for Juneteenth National Independence Day
Late last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released an interpretive rule that provided much-welcome guidance related to the effect of the new Juneteenth National Independence Day on disclosure waiting periods under the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule. According to CFPB Acting Director David Uejio, the Bureau “understand[s] that the quick enactment of
Department of Veterans Affairs Expands Its Limited-Time COVID-19 Mortgage Relief Options
On July 23, 2021, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released Circular 26-21-13, which announced a new temporary modification called the COVID-19 Refund Modification. The COVID-19 Refund Modification and the COVID-19 Veterans Assistance Partial Claim Payment option are now both designed to help borrowers experiencing financial hardship related to COVID-19 bring their mortgages current
HUD Announces New COVID-19 Recovery Loss Mitigation Options
In a bid to avoid a wave of COVID-19-related foreclosures, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published Mortgagee Letter 2021-18 to lenders and servicers on July 23, 2021, that will allow borrowers with loans insured by the Federal Housing Agency (FHA) to extend the term of their mortgages and lock in lower monthly
U.S. House of Representatives Considers Bill to Improve Language Access in Mortgage Servicing
In recent months, regulatory bodies throughout the federal government have focused on ways to promote greater access to financial products and services to limited English proficiency (LEP) consumers. Take for example the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) January 2021 statement encouraging financial institutions to better serve LEP consumers and examples of recent enforcement actions by
FHFA Issues Policy Statement on Fair Lending Requirements under the ECOA, Fair Housing Act, and Safety and Soundness Act
On Thursday, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) issued a policy statement covering its views on fair lending requirements (Fair Lending Policy Statement) under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act. The Fair Lending Policy Statement is the latest in a
Biden Administration Continues Fair Lending Efforts as HUD Announces Proposal to Restore the Discriminatory Effects Rule
One of the Biden administration’s first actions was a January 25, 2021, executive order on Redressing Our Nation’s and the Federal Government’s History of Discriminatory Housing Practices and Policies, whereby the White House committed to revitalizing enforcement of fair lending laws to address the “ongoing legacies of residential segregation and discrimination [that] remain ever-present
Landlords Again Successfully Challenge the CDC’s Authority to Ban Residential Evictions
Earlier this year, the Eastern District of Texas invalidated — commerce clause grounds — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) ability to halt residential evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequently, in Tiger Lily, LLC v. U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals granted another win to