In December 2018, Congress gave the hemp industry a significant boost by passing the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized the cultivation and sale of hemp (i.e., cannabis with a THC content of less than .3%). The 2018 Farm Bill tasked the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with formulating the regulations to govern this burgeoning … Continue Reading
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) issued Mortgagee Letter 2016-11, which specifically permits properties encumbered with a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) obligation to be eligible for FHA-insured mortgage financing, whether for new purchases or refinancing. The guidance goes into effect this week on September 17, 2016. … Continue Reading
In the eyes of at least one Federal court, loan underwriting is not mechanical; it requires discretion and independent judgment. That point was a key factor in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals’ recent affirmance in Lutz v. Huntington Bancshares, Inc. of the dismissal of a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of loan originators. The plaintiffs … Continue Reading
