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Unofficial Transcripts of the ABA Briefing/Webcast "Mortgage Q&A with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau"
To address outstanding questions regarding the new mortgage rules that took effect in January 2014, CFPB staff provided non-binding, informal guidance in a webinar hosted by the American Bankers Association (ABA). Specifically, CFPB staff answered questions regarding the mortgage origination rules and the mortgage servicing rules on April 22, 2014.
With the ABA’s consent, BuckleySandler has prepared a transcript of the webinar that incorporates the ABA’s slides. The transcript is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal opinions, interpretations, or advice by BuckleySandler. The transcript was prepared from the audio recording arranged by the ABA and may have minor inaccuracies due to sound quality. In addition, the transcripts have not been reviewed by the CFPB or the ABA for accuracy or completeness.
Questions regarding the matters discussed in the webinar or the rules themselves may be directed to any of our lawyers listed below, or to any other BuckleySandler attorney with whom you have consulted in the past.
- Jeffrey P. Naimon, (202) 349-8030
- Clinton R. Rockwell, (310) 424-3901
- John P. Kromer, (202) 349-8040
- Joseph M. Kolar, (202) 349-8020
- Jeremiah S. Buckley, (202) 349-8010
- Sherry-Maria Safchuk, (310) 424-3917
CFPB Adjusts CARD Act, HOEPA, And Ability To Repay Thresholds
On August 14, the CFPB issued a final rule to re-calculate certain threshold amounts under Regulation Z. With respect to certain amounts under the CARD Act, effective January 1, 2015, the minimum interest charge disclosure thresholds will remain unchanged, while the permissible penalty fees safe harbor will increase to $27 for a first late payment and $38 for each subsequent violation in the following six months. With respect to HOEPA loans, effective January 1, 2015, the adjusted total loan amount threshold will be $20,391, and the adjusted statutory fee trigger will be $1,020. Also effective January 1, 2015, for the purpose of a creditor’s determination of a consumer’s ability to repay a transaction secured by a dwelling, a covered transaction will not be a qualified mortgage unless the transaction’s total points and fees do not exceed: (i) 3% of the total loan amount for a loan greater than or equal to $101,953; (ii) $3,059 for a loan amount greater than or equal to $61,172 but less than $101,953; (iii) 5% of the total loan amount for a loan greater than or equal to $20,391 but less than $61,172; (iv) $1,020 for a loan amount greater than or equal to $12,744 but less than $20,391; and (v) 8% of the total loan amount for a loan amount less than $12,744.
FinCEN Advisory Urges Institutions To Promote Culture Of Compliance
On August 11, FinCEN issued Advisory FIN-2014-A007 to provide guidance regarding BSA/AML compliance programs. Specifically, the guidance recommends that institutions create a “culture of compliance” by ensuring that: (i) leadership actively supports and understands compliance efforts; (ii) efforts to manage and mitigate BSA/AML deficiencies and risks are not compromised by revenue interests; (iii) relevant information from the various departments within the organization is shared with compliance staff to further BSA/AML efforts; (iv) the institution devotes adequate resources to its compliance function; (v) the compliance program is effective by, among other things, ensuring that it is tested by an independent and competent party; and (vi) leadership and staff understand the purpose of the institution’s BSA/AML efforts. The guidance follows numerous public remarks by FinCEN Director Jennifer Shasky Calvery and other financial regulators and enforcement authorities calling for stronger compliance cultures, particularly with regard to BSA/AML compliance. Director Shasky Calvery reinforced that message in an August 12, 2014 speech in which she asserted that, in the enforcement matters she has seen, a culture of compliance “could have made all the difference.” In the same speech, Ms. Shasky Calvery criticized—as Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry also did earlier this year—financial institutions which may be “de-risking” by preventing certain categories of businesses from accessing banking services. She stressed that “just because a particular customer may be considered high risk does not mean that it is ‘unbankable’,” and called on banks to develop programs to manage high risk customer relationships.
FHFA Seeks Comments On Proposed Single GSE Security
On August 12, the FHFA requested comments on the structure of a proposed single security that would be issued and guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac (the GSEs). The implementation of the single security would be part of a “multi-year initiative” to build a common securitization platform. The request explains that the proposed single security would generally encompass many of the pooling features of the current Fannie Mae Mortgage Backed Security (MBS) and most of the disclosure framework of the current Freddie Mac Participation Certificate (PC). The single security would have key features that exist in the current market, such as: (i) a payment delay of 55 days; (ii) pooling prefixes; (iii) mortgage coupon pooling requirements; (iv) minimum pool submission amounts; (v) general loan requirements, such as first lien position, good title, and non-delinquent status; (vi) seasoning requirements; and (vii) loan repurchase, substitution, and removal guidelines. The GSEs would continue to maintain their separate Servicing and Selling Guides for the single security. The FHFA is especially interested in comments on how to preserve “to-be-announced” (TBA) eligibility and ensure that legacy MBS and PCs are “fully fungible” with the single security. The FHFA also seeks specific input on: (i) what key factors regarding TBA eligibility status should be considered in the design of and transition to a single security; (ii) what issues should be considered to ensure broad market liquidity for the legacy securities; (iii) what operational, system, policy, or other effects on the industry should be considered; and (iv) what can be done to ensure smooth implementation of a single security with minimal risk of market disruption. Comments are due by October 13, 2014.
Freddie Mac Implements FinCEN AML Rules, Updates Other Selling And Servicing Policies
On August 14, Freddie Mac issued Bulletin 2014-15, which reminds seller/servicers subject to the AML requirements of the BSA that they are expected to maintain an AML compliance program and are required to report to Freddie Mac any instances of AML program noncompliance. Effective October 1, 2014, Freddie Mac is also requiring seller/servicers not subject to the AML provisions of the BSA to develop internal controls and policies and procedures to detect and report Suspicious Activity to Freddie Mac (but without the requirement to file SARs). Additionally, the Bulletin notifies seller/servicers that, effective October 15, 2014, Freddie Mac will require wholly-owned subsidiaries of seller/servicers that are federally-regulated depository institutions to obtain separate Freddie Mac seller/servicer approvals. The Bulletin also: (i) provides that seller/servicers can waive the requirement for flood insurance for non-residential detached structures located on the Mortgaged Premises; (ii) clarifies ULDD data points; (iii) updates Freddie Mac’s certificate of incumbency for sellers and warehouse lenders (effective October 1, 2014); and (iv) updates miscellaneous manufactured home requirements.
Senator Cautions Education Department On Student Aid Disbursement Products Rulemaking
On August 12, Senate Banking Committee ranking member Mike Crapo (R-ID) sent a letter to Education Secretary Arne Duncan to express concern that an ongoing Education Department rulemaking regarding student loan disbursement products could force financial institutions to exit campus markets. At issue is the scope of the rulemaking, which could potentially regulate traditional banking products unrelated to the Title IV disbursement products. The Senator’s letter is the latest in a series of letters from Capitol Hill raising concerns about the scope of the rulemaking and calling for the Education Department to reevaluate the proposal. In his letter, Senator Crapo questions the Education Department for moving forward with the rulemaking without having consulted with any of the prudential banking regulators. The letter also requests an extension of the timeline for the rulemaking so that the public has sufficient time to provide comments.
Manhattan District Attorney Indicts Payday Lenders
On August 12, Manhattan District Attorney (DA) Cyrus Vance, Jr. announced the indictment of twelve payday lending companies and related individuals for allegedly engaging in criminal usury by making high interest payday loans to Manhattan residents. According to the DA’s press release, between 2001 and 2013, one of the indicted individuals allegedly created multiple companies, including establishing one as a website and offshore corporation, to accept and process online applications for payday loans. The DA also indicted the payday lending business’ chief operating officer and legal counsel. The DA charged the defendants with 38 counts of felony first degree criminal usury and one count of conspiracy in the fourth degree. The defendants are also accused of continuing to extend such loans to New York residents for years, even after, according to the DA, they had been repeatedly warned by New York State officials of the loans’ illegality.
Texas Federal Court Upholds HUD's Suspension of Mortgagee
On August 5, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas held that HUD's decisions to immediately suspend a HUD mortgagee and its CEO were not “arbitrary and capricious” and did not violate due process. Allied Home Mortg. Corp. v. Donovan, No. H-11-3864, 2014 WL 3843561 (S.D. Tex. Aug. 5, 2014). In October 2011, a U.S. Attorney’s Office sued the mortgagee, its CEO, and related parties under the False Claims Act and FIRREA for allegedly making false statements and false claims to HUD in connection with FHA-insured mortgage loans. Shortly thereafter, based on information obtained by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, HUD immediately suspended the mortgagee’s HUD/FHA origination and underwriting approvals and suspended the CEO from participation in procurement and nonprocurement transactions as a participant or principal. The mortgagee plaintiffs argued that such suspensions were “arbitrary and capricious” (and thus violated the Administrative Procedure Act) given the age of the evidence against the CEO and the limited evidence directly attributable to the mortgagee. Specifically, the mortgagee plaintiffs argued that HUD failed to follow its own standards for issuing immediate suspensions because it did not have adequate evidence of any present or imminent threat to the financial interests of the public or HUD that would warrant an immediate suspension. The court, however, held that the evidence uncovered in the investigation was sufficient to support HUD’s action, and that HUD “drew rational inferences based on the severity, persistence, and length of the [alleged] misconduct.” The court also denied the mortgagee plaintiffs’ due process claim, reasoning that the initial suspensions were temporary and could have been administratively appealed. The court denied the mortgagee plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment and dismissed the case with prejudice.
California Federal Court Dismisses User Information Claims Against Digital Wallet Company
On August 12, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California dismissed for failure to state a claim a putative class action alleging that a digital wallet provider made unauthorized disclosures of user information to third-party mobile app developers. Svenson v. Google Inc., No. 13-cv-04080, 2014 WL 3962820 (N.D. Cal. Aug. 12, 2014). The named plaintiff claimed that when the digital wallet provider processed payments for apps purchased through an affiliated online store, it also provided certain customer/personally identifiable information to third-party app developers, including email address, account name, home city and state, zip code, and in some instances, telephone number. The plaintiff asserted theories of breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, as well as violations of the Stored Communications Act and California’s Unfair Competition Law. The court held that the plaintiff’s breach of contract claim failed, reasoning in part that: (i) the plaintiff was not deprived of the “benefit of the bargain” given that the allegations involved free services and a $1.77 app; and (ii) there was no support for the theory that the economic value of the plaintiff’s information was diminished (because the plaintiff failed to allege that there was a market for the information). Similarly, the court held that the plaintiff’s Unfair Competition Law claims did not allege an economic injury, and that the breach of implied covenant claims were duplicative of the breach of contract claims. The court also dismissed the plaintiff’s Stored Communications Act claims.
Fair Housing Group Issues Annual Report
On August 13, the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) published its annual fair housing report titled “Expanding Opportunity: Systemic Approaches to Fair Housing.” The paper summarizes 2013 fair housing enforcement actions and litigation, as well as federal policy developments, and provides fair housing-related data. NFHA reports that, overall, the number of fair housing complaints filed in 2013 remained flat compared to recent years, but notes that private fair housing organizations received more complaints of discrimination in real estate sales and homeowners insurance, as well as complaints of discriminatory housing advertisements by housing providers. According to the report, the DOJ Housing Section filed 43 cases in 2013, including 24 cases involving pattern and practice claims, compared to 36 cases in 2012, of which 21 involved pattern and practice. Of the 2013 pattern or practice cases, five alleged fair lending claims; 11 alleged rental discrimination on the basis of race, disability, sex, familial status, national origin, or religion; three alleged violations of the accessibility provisions of the Fair Housing Act; three alleged discrimination in land use and zoning practices or policies by local governments; and one alleged disability discrimination by a homeless shelter. Finally, the report provides, for the first time, an analysis of HUD data by region, which includes a breakdown of complaints by protected class within each of HUD’s 10 regions.