A House subcommittee approved a bill Tuesday to help the Federal Housing Administration “shore up” the health of the Federal Housing Administration’s mortgage insurance fund.
The FHA Emergency Fiscal Solvency Act aims to strengthen the fund, which insures all FHA loans including Home Equity Conversion Mortgages. An independent audit of the fund found in November revealed that its capital reserves were well below the mandated level of 2%.
“The FHA’s cash reserves are down to dangerous levels, and taxpayers cannot afford another Fannie- and Freddie-style bailout,” said Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Ill.). “This Administration needs to enforce stronger standards and create room for the private sector to replace taxpayers as the primary source of funding. The FHA is facing an urgent fiscal crisis, and this proposal gives HUD Secretary Donovan emergency tools to wind down the risk before it’s too late.”
The bill, which was approved by the Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee Tuesday, establishes minimum annual premiums for mortgage insurance, bars unscrupulous lenders from participating in the program, requires repayment of losses to FHA by lenders who have committed fraud and improves the FHA’s internal financial controls, transparency and disclosure requirements.
The FHA insures more than $1 trillion in mortgages on more than 7 million loans.
Written by Elizabeth Ecker
