Washington update with ICE’s Courtenay Dunn

Key takeaway

Courtenay Dunn said housing policy is moving quickly in Washington, with the administration prioritizing deregulation, cost reduction, and efforts to curb fraud, waste and abuse. With major rulemakings underway and a crowded congressional calendar, she said the industry needs to stay engaged so new policies are clear, workable and operationally realistic.

What leaders need to know:

• Housing remains a priority in Washington. Dunn said the administration is focused on housing, especially through deregulation and cost reduction.
• Credit score modernization is part of the cost debate. Dunn tied the credit score transition to broader efforts to increase competition and reduce costs for consumers.
• Energy policy has downstream housing impacts. Dunn said energy policy affects housing through supply chains, construction costs, data center demand, electricity prices and the ongoing cost of homeownership.
• Cybersecurity is getting more federal attention. Dunn said the administration is increasing its focus on cybersecurity, AI and fraud prevention because of their role in protecting the financial system.
• Regulatory clarity is a cost issue. Dunn said the industry needs clear “rules of the road” so companies can comply without spending outsized resources navigating legal uncertainty.
• Implementation timelines matter. Dunn said new rules can’t simply be announced; lenders and vendors need time to build, test and operationalize changes.
• Prediction markets could become a new data signal. Dunn said there is growing interest in market-sentiment tools and real-time indicators that could eventually inform housing and capital markets.