HUD Secretary Defends FHA in House Testimony

HUD FHA

On February 11, HUD Secretary Julián Castro delivered remarks at the U.S. House Financial Services Committee (HFSC) hearing, “The Future of Housing in America: Oversight of the Federal Housing Administration.” In his testimony, Castro stressed that FHA did not cause the housing crisis, but actually saved the market stating, “FHA stepped in and stepped up to fill the void created when private capital retreated – work that independent economists say prevented a further collapse in home prices.” Looking forward, Castro noted that FHA’s challenge will be to make homeownership more affordable, and he emphasized the importance of improving underwriting standards and strengthening the agency’s Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund.