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Politics

Mortgage Bankers Association removes DEI pages from website

DEI, HWmember, Mortgage, Mortgage Bankers Association, Politics /

Since the new administration took over in January, government agencies have systemically rolled back federal diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, with the Trump administration framing the move as a way to cut costs and eliminate waste. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), the largest mortgage trade group, removed several webpages related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, […]

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FHFA Director Pulte calls on Powell to lower interest rates

Bill Pulte, Federal Reserve, FHFA, Housing Market, HWmember, Jerome Powell, Mortgage Rates, Politics, Scott Bessent /

On Monday, FHFA Director Bill Pulte called on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to lower interest rates. His exact tweet was: “Jay Powell needs to lower interest rates – enough is enough. President Trump has crushed Biden’s inflation, and there is no reason not to lower rates. The housing market would be in much better

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Bessent weighs mortgage rate risk in potential release of GSEs

Conservatorship, Donald Trump, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, GSE Reform, Housing Market, HWmember, Mortgage Rates, Politics, Scott Bessent /

Releasing the GSEs from conservatorship became a hot topic again this week after President Trump posted that he was giving it “serious consideration” on Wednesday, followed by a Bloomberg interview with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday. The timing of the president’s announcement took many by surprise, given rising bond yields, an uncertain trade war

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FEMA rescinds strategic agency plan ahead of hurricane season

Disaster Relief, FEMA, Housing Market, Hurricane, HWmember, Natural Disaster, Politics /

Hurricane season is set to commence on June 1, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) — which has been experiencing organizational challenges for the past several weeks — has reportedly rescinded its guiding plan for agency objectives and priorities, according to multiple FEMA employees and a memo obtained by news outlet Wired. On Wednesday,

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Updated list of all Trump’s actions that impact housing

CFPB, Donald Trump, FHFA, Housing Market, HUD, HWmember, Politics, Regulatory /

Below is a timeline of the actions the Trump administration or Congressional Republicans have taken that impact housing since President Trump took office on Jan. 20, 2025, along with additional coverage of those topics. CFPB Tariffs HUD HUD watchdog swept up in large-scale firings of inspector general  Jan. 27 Memo mixup: Trump calls for freeze

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Trump says he’s giving “serious consideration” to releasing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac

Bill Pulte, Conservatorship, Donald Trump, FHFA, GSE Reform, GSEs, HWmember, Mortgage, Politics, Regulatory /

Two days after Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte said any decision over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac exiting government conservatorship would be up to President Trump and Trump alone, the president has weighed in. In a message posted on Truth Social Wednesday night, Trump said “I am giving serious consideration to bringing

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Bill Pulte is putting ‘obese’ Fannie and Freddie ‘on the treadmill’

Bill Pulte, Conservatorship, FHFA, HWmember, Mortgage, Politics /

It won’t be Federal Housing Finance Administration (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte or Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent making the decision about removing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from conservatorship. That’s entirely up to President Trump, Pulte told Mortgage Bankers Association Chair Laura Escobar in a freewheeling conversation at the MBA Secondary Mortgage Marketing conference in New

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House passes bill to give VA borrowers a partial mortgage claim option

Department of Veterans Affairs, House of Representatives, HWmember, Legislation, Mortgage, Mortgage Servicing, PennyMac, Politics, Servicing, VA Loan, Veterans /

Following about 20 minutes of debate on the floor of the House of Representatives on Monday, H.R. 1815 — known as the V.A. Home Loan Program Reform Act — was passed by voice vote and will now be given to the Senate for additional debate. The passage by the House keeps the bill moving through

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HUD secretary tours Nevada federal land to talk housing development

Affordable housing, House of Representatives, Housing Market, HUD, HWmember, Nevada, Politics, Regulatory, Senate /

The secretaries of the U.S. departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Interior (DOI) journeyed to southern Nevada in an effort to highlight the Trump administration’s plan to sell federal lands to private developers for the purposes of housing development. Joined by Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) and Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), HUD

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HUD approves Asheville’s hurricane recovery plan after initial objection over DEI

Disaster Relief, Government Lending, Housing Market, HUD, Hurricane, HWmember, Natural Disaster, North Carolina, Politics /

After an initial rejection and amendment of its required Hurricane Helene recovery plan as it seeks more than $200 million in federal funds, the City of Asheville, North Carolina’s revised plan has received approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In March, HUD rejected Asheville’s initial draft action plan, a required

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