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Financial Services Law Insights and Observations

FHFA Decides Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Will Not Offer Principal Forgiveness; Updates Other Borrower Assistance Efforts

Freddie Mac Fannie Mae Mortgage Servicing HAMP / HARP FHFA Department of Treasury

Lending

On July 31, FHFA announced that it will not direct Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to offer principal reduction assistance to troubled borrowers, concluding that a principal forgiveness policy does not “clearly improve foreclosure avoidance while reducing costs to taxpayers relative to the approaches in place today.” The Treasury Department immediately objected, countering that FHFA’s cost concerns could be alleviated with Treasury assistance to pay for additional administrative implementation costs. With its announcement, FHFA released correspondence to members of Congress explaining FHFA’s decision and providing a detailed assessment of the principal forgiveness policy option. FHFA also reported that it is working with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on a series of other borrower assistance efforts including (i) an update to Freddie Mac's refinance program to align it with Fannie Mae’s policy for refinancing mortgages with loan-to-value ratios equal to or less than 80%, (ii) new requirements expected in September related to representations and warranties, which will shift the loan quality review closer to the time of loan origination, (iii) a single, aligned short sale program for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with more flexible terms, (iv) a new set of adjustments to guarantee fee pricing, expected to be announced in August and to take effect later in the year, and (v) closing on the first set of REO pilot transactions in August.