Tag Archives: HUD

There are nearly 400 mandatory inclusionary housing policies designed to low-priced housing within market-rate developments.

HUD announced Friday the issuing of a final rule to formalize a national standard for determining whether a practice violates the Fair Housing law based on an unjustified discriminatory effect. According to the agency, the rule establishes a three-part test that shifts burden of proof in a discriminatory housing case back and forth between the plaintiff and defendant. It is designed to address recent debates over whether or not a housing practice can be considered discriminatory if it seems neutral on the surface.

Realtors in December expected prices to rise by about 3.5 percent over the next year, while consumer estimates were more modest at 2.5 percent for the same time period, Capital Economics noted in its monthly housing report. The estimates show a growing optimism among those groups. But, with the low supply of inventory, Capital Economics anticipates much bigger gains.

The NAR's Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) fell 4.3 percent to 101.7 in December, the sharpest month-over-month drop since April.

U.S. Senator and Senate Banking Committee member Bob Corker (R-Tennessee) warned federal regulators Tuesday to stick to simplified, synchronized lending rules in order to avoid driving out private capital. Corker specifically pointed to the qualified residential mortgage (QRM) rule, which includes an exemption on risk retention for loans sold to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA)--an exemption Corker believes may drive lenders away from the private market.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is easing back on reporting standards for smaller supervised lenders.

The results of the Census Bureau's and HUD's American Housing Survey are now available via Census' American FactFinder data access tool.

Congress approved the appointment of Carol Galante as assistant secretary for housing and commissioner of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The appointment was finalized Sunday with 69-24 vote from the Senate.

Despite a continuing surge in builder confidence, housing starts dropped 3.0 percent in November to 861,000, the Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported jointly Wednesday. Single-family starts dropped 4.1 percent in November, accounting for most of the drop in total starts. Activity was unaffected by superstorm Sandy, which hit the Northeast at the end of October, as most of the drop in single-family starts came in the West and Midwest.

The new year may bring with it new reforms for the FHA as Congress considers legislation to bring the agency back to fiscal solvency.