InfoBytes Blog
California regulator reminds mortgage lenders and servicers of pandemic-related relief
On April 9, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation issued guidance to mortgage lenders and servicers to remind them of state law protections for homeowners and encourage them to work with impacted borrowers to avoid foreclosure. The regulator noted that, under California’s Homeowner Relief Act, if a mortgage servicer denies a forbearance request between August 31, 2020 and September 1, 2021, the servicer must provide written notice to the borrower that specifies why relief was not provided, and provide certain information to assist the borrower with defects in the application. The regulator also encouraged mortgage services to work with their customers to propose solutions to avoid foreclosure and stated that prudent efforts to do so will not be criticized by examiners.