GAO reports on CFPB fair lending activities

Federal Issues CFPB GAO Fair Lending HMDA

Last month, the Government Accountability Office delivered a report at the request of Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) on the CFPB’s oversight and enforcement of fair lending laws after the agency’s 2018 reorganization which moved the Office of Fair Lending and Equal Opportunity from the Supervision, Enforcement, and Fair Lending Division to the Office of the Director and shifted certain responsibilities. GAO’s investigation focused on how the Bureau (i) “managed the reorganization of its fair lending activities”; (ii) “monitored and reported on its fair lending performance”; and (iii) used new HMDA data reported by some lenders since 2018 in its fair lending activities. The investigation team examined documents related to the Bureau’s fair lending activities, including strategic and performance reports and policies and procedures, and interviewed Bureau staff. GAO concluded that the Bureau “did not substantially incorporate key practices for agency reform efforts GAO identified in prior work” during the reorganization, and identified challenges related to the reorganization such as “loss of fair lending expertise and specialized data analysts,” which “may have contributed to a decline in enforcement activity in 2018.” The report also pointed out that the Bureau’s decision to stop reporting fair lending supervision and enforcement performance goals and measures has reduced transparency. However, the report noted that the Bureau has incorporated loan-level HMDA data to support its fair lending activities and that the new data points have improved the agency’s ability to compare how different institutions price loans, helping staff identify potentially discriminatory lending practices.

GAO’s report recommended that the Bureau: (i) collect and analyze information on the outcomes of its fair lending reorganization and use that assessment to address any related challenges or unintended consequences; and (ii) “develop and implement performance goals and measures specific to its efforts to supervise and enforce fair lending laws.” The Bureau agreed with both recommendations and affirmed its commitment to implementing them.