Home Equity Lending Market; Notice of Hearings, 30380-30383 [E7-10395]

Download as PDF 30380 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 104 / Thursday, May 31, 2007 / Notices (Qualifying Individual), Ana Maria Lizarzaburu, Secretary. Gold Coast Shipping, LLC, 2964 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06120. Officer: Micheal A. Wiafe, President (Qualifying Individual). Integrated Freight Solutions, Inc., 851 Hinckley Road, Burlingame, CA 94010. Officers: Mark Taro Yamasaki, Secretary (Qualifying Individual), Henry Lung, President. Ocean Freight Forwarder—Ocean Transportation Intermediary Applicants Seastar International, LLC, 46 Country Club Blvd., Scotch Plains, NJ 07076. Officer: Ying Zhao, Owner (Qualifying Individual). First Class Exporters, 1147 Willing Ham Drive, East Point, GA 30344. Officers: Frank Obeng, Partner (Qualifying Individual), Elizabeth Lowe, Partner. Dated: May 25, 2007. Bryant L. VanBrakle, Secretary. [FR Doc. E7–10498 Filed 5–30–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6730–01–P FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES Formations of, Acquisitions by, and Mergers of Bank Holding Companies The companies listed in this notice have applied to the Board for approval, pursuant to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.) (BHC Act), Regulation Y (12 CFR Part 225), and all other applicable statutes and regulations to become a bank holding company and/or to acquire the assets or the ownership of, control of, or the power to vote shares of a bank or bank holding company and all of the banks and nonbanking companies owned by the bank holding company, including the companies listed below. The applications listed below, as well as other related filings required by the Board, are available for immediate inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated. The application also will be available for inspection at the offices of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing on the standards enumerated in the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1842(c)). If the proposal also involves the acquisition of a nonbanking company, the review also includes whether the acquisition of the nonbanking company complies with the standards in section 4 of the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1843). Unless otherwise noted, nonbanking activities will be conducted throughout the United States. Additional information on all bank VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:01 May 30, 2007 Jkt 211001 holding companies may be obtained from the National Information Center website at www.ffiec.gov/nic/. Unless otherwise noted, comments regarding each of these applications must be received at the Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of the Board of Governors not later than June 25, 2007. A. Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (A. Linwood Gill, III, Vice President) 701 East Byrd Street, Richmond, Virginia 23261-4528: 1. LSB Bancshares, Inc., Lexington, North Carolina; to merge with FNB Financial Services Corporation, Greensboro, North Carolina, and thereby indirectly acquire FNB Southeast, Reidsville, North Carolina. B. Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (Donna J. Ward, Assistant Vice President) 925 Grand Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64198-0001: 1. FSB Bancshares, Inc.; to become a bank holding company by acquiring 100 percent of the voting shares of First Security Bank and Trust Company, both in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. C. Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (W. Arthur Tribble, Vice President) 2200 North Pearl Street, Dallas, Texas 752012272: 1. Providence Bancshares Corporation; to become a bank holding company by acquiring 100 percent of the voting shares of Providence Bank of Texas, both of Southlake, Texas (in organization). D. Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (Tracy Basinger, Director, Regional and Community Bank Group) 101 Market Street, San Francisco, California 94105-1579: 1. First Community Holdings; to become a bank holding company by acquiring 100 percent of the voting shares of First Community Bank, both of Santa Rosa, California. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, May 25, 2007. Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E7–10423 Filed 5–30–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210–01–S the power to vote shares of a bank or bank holding company and all of the banks and nonbanking companies owned by the bank holding company, including the companies listed below. The applications listed below, as well as other related filings required by the Board, are available for immediate inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated. The application also will be available for inspection at the offices of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing on the standards enumerated in the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1842(c)). If the proposal also involves the acquisition of a nonbanking company, the review also includes whether the acquisition of the nonbanking company complies with the standards in section 4 of the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1843). Unless otherwise noted, nonbanking activities will be conducted throughout the United States. Additional information on all bank holding companies may be obtained from the National Information Center Web site at www.ffiec.gov/nic/. Unless otherwise noted, comments regarding each of these applications must be received at the Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of the Board of Governors not later than June 11, 2007. A. Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (Donna J. Ward, Assistant Vice President) 925 Grand Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64198-0001: 1. BOK Financial Corporation, Tulsa, Oklahoma; to acquire 100 percent of the voting shares of United Banks of Colorado, Inc., and thereby indirectly acquire First United Bank National Association, both of Englewood, Colorado. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, May 25, 2007. Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E7–10437 Filed 5–30–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210–01–S FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM [Docket No. OP–1288] FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Home Equity Lending Market; Notice of Hearings Formations of, Acquisitions by, and Mergers of Bank Holding Companies AGENCY: The companies listed in this notice have applied to the Board for approval, pursuant to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.) (BHC Act), Regulation Y (12 CFR Part 225), and all other applicable statutes and regulations to become a bank holding company and/or to acquire the assets or the ownership of, control of, or PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. ACTION: Public hearing; request for comment. SUMMARY: Section 158 of the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 1994 (HOEPA) 1 directs the Board to hold public hearings periodically on the 1 Pub. E:\FR\FM\31MYN1.SGM L. 103–325, 108 Stat. 2160. 31MYN1 sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 104 / Thursday, May 31, 2007 / Notices home equity lending market and the adequacy of existing regulatory and legislative provisions (including HOEPA) in protecting the interests of consumers. Consequently, as previously announced, the Board will hold a hearing on the home equity lending market and invites the public to attend and to comment on the issues that will be the focus of the hearing. Additional information about the hearing will be posted to the Board’s Web site at https://www.federalreserve.gov. DATES: The date of the hearing is June 14, 2007. Comments. Comments from persons unable to attend the hearing or otherwise wishing to submit written views on the issues raised in this notice must be received by August 15, 2007. ADDRESSES: The location of the hearing is: The Federal Reserve Board, 20th and C Streets, NW., Washington, DC 20551, in the Martin Building, Terrace Level, Dining Room E. You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. OP–1288, by any of the following methods: • Agency Web Site: https:// www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments at https://www.federalreserve.gov/ generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm. • Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. • E-mail: regs.comments@federalreserve.gov. Include the docket number in the subject line of the message. • Fax: (202) 452–3819 or (202) 452– 3102. • Mail: Address to Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20551. All public comments will be made available on the Board’s Web site at https://www.federalreserve.gov/ generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm as submitted, unless modified for technical reasons. Accordingly, comments will not be edited to remove any identifying or contact information. Public comments may also be viewed electronically or in paper in Room MP– 500 of the Board’s Martin Building (20th and C Streets, NW.) between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen C. Ryan, Counsel, or Paul Mondor, Attorney, Division of Consumer and Community Affairs, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551, at (202) 452–2412 or (202) 452–3667. VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:01 May 30, 2007 Jkt 211001 For users of Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) only, contact (202) 263–4869. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background 1. HOEPA In 1994, the Congress enacted the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA) as an amendment to the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), in response to testimony about predatory home equity lending practices in underserved markets, where some lenders were making high-rate, high-fee home equity loans to cash-poor homeowners. HOEPA identifies a class of high-cost mortgage loans based on the loans’ rates and fees. Loans above HOEPA’s price triggers require additional disclosures and are subject to substantive restrictions on loan terms. HOEPA is implemented by the Board’s Regulation Z (12 CFR 226.32 and 34). Section 158 of HOEPA also directs the Board to hold public hearings periodically on the home equity lending market and the adequacy of existing regulatory and legislative provisions for protecting the interests of consumers, particularly low-income consumers. Hearings were held in 1997, 2000, and 2006. Following the 2000 hearings and the receipt of public comment, the Board amended the provisions of Regulation Z that implement HOEPA. These revisions included extending HOEPA’s coverage to more loans, enhancing disclosures for HOEPA loans, and expanding its substantive restrictions. The revisions took effect in October 2002. In addition to the Board’s general grant of rulewriting authority under HOEPA, Section 129(l)(2) of HOEPA also confers regulatory authority on the Board to prohibit acts or practices: • In connection with mortgage loans—if the Board finds the practice to be unfair, deceptive, or designed to evade HOEPA; and • In connection with refinancings of mortgage loans—if the Board finds that the practice is associated with abusive lending practices or otherwise not in the interest of the borrower. 2. The Board’s 2006 Hearings The Board’s most recent hearings under HOEPA covered three broad topics: (1) The impact of the 2002 HOEPA rule changes and state and local predatory lending laws on predatory lending practices; (2) nontraditional mortgage products and reverse mortgages; and (3) informed consumer choice in the subprime market. Hearing panelists included mortgage lenders and PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 30381 brokers, credit ratings agencies, realtors, consumer advocates, community development groups, housing counselors, academicians, researchers, and state and Federal Government officials. Consumer advocates and some state officials stated that HOEPA (and state predatory lending laws) are generally effective in preventing loans with abusive terms from being made for loans subject to the HOEPA price triggers. Some advocated that Congress should lower HOEPA’s coverage triggers so that more loans are subject to HOEPA. Consumer advocates and state officials urged regulators and Congress to take action to curb abusive practices for loans that do not meet HOEPA’s price triggers. Consumer advocates urged the Board to prohibit or restrict certain loan features or terms, such as prepayment penalties, and underwriting practices such as ‘‘stated income’’ or ‘‘low documentation’’ (‘‘low doc’’) loans where the borrower’s income is not documented or verified. They also expressed concern about aggressive marketing practices that include steering borrowers to higher-cost loans by emphasizing initial low monthly payments based on an introductory rate without adequately explaining that the consumer will have considerably higher monthly payments after the introductory rate expires. Finally, some consumer advocates stated that brokers and lenders should be held to a fiduciary standard such as a duty of good faith and fair dealing or a requirement that they make only loans that are suitable for a particular borrower. Industry panelists and commenters, on the other hand, expressed concern that HOEPA may reduce the availability of credit for some subprime borrowers. They stated that state predatory lending laws may also reduce credit availability. Most industry commenters opposed prohibitions on stated income loans, prepayment penalties, and other loan terms, asserting that these features could benefit some borrowers. They urged the Board and other regulators to focus instead on enforcing existing laws to remove ‘‘bad actors’’ from the market. Some lenders indicated, however, that carefully constructed reasonable restrictions on certain loan features or practices might be appropriate if the conditions were clear and would not unduly reduce credit availability. Fiduciary responsibilities would, in industry’s view, create conflicts for lenders, who are responsible to their shareholders. Industry commenters also stated that subjective suitability E:\FR\FM\31MYN1.SGM 31MYN1 30382 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 104 / Thursday, May 31, 2007 / Notices standards would create uncertainties for brokers and lenders and subject them to litigation risk. sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES II. Information About the Board’s 2007 Hearing The June 14th hearing is open to the public to attend. Seating will be limited, however. All visitors must register at least 24 hours in advance for security purposes and may access the Board’s online registration service at https:// www.federalreserve.gov/secure/forms/ hoeparegistration.cfm. Further information about the hearing, as it becomes available, will be posted on the Board’s Web site at https:// www.federalreserve.gov. The hearing will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. (EST). The Board will invite persons to participate in panel discussions on the topics discussed below. In addition to the panel discussions, the Board intends to reserve about one hour after the conclusion of the panels, at 3 p.m., to permit interested parties other than those on the panels to make brief statements. To allow as many persons as possible to offer their views during this period, oral statements will be limited to three minutes or less; written statements of any length may be submitted for the record. Interested parties who wish to participate during this ‘‘open-mike’’ period may contact the Board in advance of the hearing date at the telephone numbers provided in this notice, to facilitate planning for this portion of the hearings. III. 2007 Hearing Discussion and Request for Comment This hearing will examine how the Board might use its rulemaking authority under section 129(l)(2) of HOEPA to address concerns about abusive lending practices in the mortgage market, including the subprime mortgage market. The purpose of the hearing is to enable the Board to gather information to evaluate whether it can address issues about predatory lending in a way that preserves incentives for responsible lenders to provide credit to borrowers, particularly subprime borrowers. The Board solicits comment on whether it should use its rulemaking authority to address concerns about the loan terms or practices listed below, and any others that commenters identify. Commenters are requested to discuss whether these terms or practices are associated with unfairness or deception, evasion of HOEPA, abusive lending, or are not otherwise in the interest of borrowers. In addition, commenters are requested to address whether the term VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:01 May 30, 2007 Jkt 211001 or practice should be prohibited or restricted for all mortgage loans, only for loans offered to subprime borrowers, or other subsets of loans such as loans to first-time homebuyers, home purchase loans, or refinancings and home equity loans; only certain products, such as adjustable rate mortgages or nontraditional mortgages.2 Comment is also requested on the effectiveness of state laws that have prohibited or restricted the practices listed below (and others) and whether the Board should consider adopting similar regulations to curb abuses without restricting access to responsible mortgage lending. A. Prepayment penalties. Consumer advocates state that prepayment penalties deter a consumer from refinancing the loan on more favorable terms and that consumers do not receive any benefit in return. Consumer advocates are also concerned about prepayment penalties that extend beyond the expiration of an introductory or teaser rate on an ARM, which deter consumers from refinancing to avoid payment shock when the rate resets. Consequently, some consumer advocates recommend that penalties be banned or restricted for such loans. According to industry representatives, however, prepayment penalties ensure a minimum return on the transaction if loans are paid off early. Industry representatives also state that consumers receive, in return, a benefit in the form of lower up-front costs or lower interest rates. The Board requests comment on the following questions related to prepayment penalties: • Should prepayment penalties be restricted? For example, should prepayment penalties that extend beyond the first adjustment period on an ARM be prohibited? • Would enhanced disclosure of prepayment penalties help address concerns about abuses? • How would a prohibition or restriction on prepayment penalties affect consumers and the type and terms of credit offered? B. Escrow for taxes and insurance on subprime loans. Loans to prime borrowers typically include an escrow for taxes and insurance, while loans to subprime borrowers typically do not include escrows. Consumer advocates are concerned that subprime borrowers are not aware of, and may not be able to budget for, these expenses. They are 2 Nontraditional mortgage products are mortgage loans that allow borrowers to defer repayment of principal and, sometimes, interest. They include interest-only loans and ‘‘payment option’’ ARMs where a borrower has flexible payment options with the potential for negative amortization. PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 also concerned that lenders quote monthly payments to subprime borrowers that do not include taxes and insurance, and these borrowers do not realize that they will have to budget separately for these obligations. The Board requests comment on the following questions related to escrows for taxes and insurance: • Should escrows for taxes and insurance be required for subprime mortgage loans? If escrows were to be required, should consumers be permitted to ‘‘opt out’’ of escrows? • Should lenders be required to disclose the absence of escrows to consumers and if so, at what point during a transaction? Should lenders be required to disclose an estimate of the consumer’s tax and insurance obligations? • How would escrow requirements affect consumers and the type and terms of credit offered? C. ‘‘Stated income’’ or ‘‘low doc’’ loans. In some cases a lender will make a mortgage loan without documenting or verifying a borrower’s income; lenders may charge higher rates for such loans. Lenders state that these loans are appropriate for many borrowers, including those who are self-employed and cannot easily document their income or who choose not to. Consumer advocates state that many borrowers who could document their income are not aware that they are getting a stated income loan with a higher rate. They state that some brokers and lenders use ‘‘stated income’’ or ‘‘low doc’’ loans to perpetrate fraud (e.g., the consumer’s income is falsified or ‘‘marked up’’ by a broker or loan officer and is not verified by the lender). Concerns have also been raised about the use of stated income loans with other ‘‘risk layering features’’ such as second-lien loans for all or part of the consumer’s downpayment. The Board requests comment on the following questions related to stated income and low doc loans: • Should stated income or low doc loans be prohibited for certain loans, such as loans to subprime borrowers? • Should stated income or low doc loans be prohibited for higher-risk loans, for example, for loans with high loan-to-value ratios? • How would a restriction on stated income or low doc loans affect consumers and the type and terms of credit offered? • Should lenders be required to disclose to the consumer that a stated income loan is being offered and allow the consumer the option to document income? E:\FR\FM\31MYN1.SGM 31MYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 104 / Thursday, May 31, 2007 / Notices D. Unaffordable loans. Consumer advocates state that some lenders extend loans without adequately considering the borrower’s ability to repay the loan. For example, lenders may qualify borrowers based on an ARM’s introductory rate and not at the fullyindexed rate that will apply once the introductory rate expires. Lenders state that it is appropriate to make such loans in certain circumstances, for example, where the borrower is likely to be able to refinance the loan at a lower rate before the reset date. Other circumstances include those in which borrowers expect to sell their home within a few years, or expect a significant decrease in their monthly obligations or a significant increase in income, such as a borrower who is completing professional training. Because loans are frequently sold to purchasers who generally cannot be held liable for the loan originator’s actions, and because the risk of default is spread out among investors in loan pools, some consumer advocates believe that there is insufficient accountability for making loans that consumers cannot repay. Recently the Board and the other banking and thrift regulators issued guidance on underwriting nontraditional mortgage products. The guidance provides that: sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES An institution’s analysis of a borrower’s repayment capacity should include an evaluation of their ability to repay the debt by final maturity at the fully indexed rate, assuming a fully amortizing repayment schedule. In addition, for products that permit negative amortization, the repayment analysis should be based upon the initial loan amount plus any balance increase that may accrue from the negative amortization provision. 71 FR 58609, 58614 (Oct. 4, 2006) (footnotes omitted). Some have urged that lenders should be required to underwrite all mortgage loans based on a fully-indexed rate and a fully amortizing payment. Some have also advocated a rebuttable presumption that a borrower cannot afford to repay a loan if the borrower’s debt-to-income ratio exceeds 50 percent and that such loans should be prohibited by regulation. The Board requests comment on the following questions: • Should lenders be required to underwrite all loans based on the fullyindexed rate and fully amortizing payments? • Should there be a rebuttable presumption that a loan is unaffordable if the borrower’s debt-to-income ratio exceeds 50 percent (at loan origination)? VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:01 May 30, 2007 Jkt 211001 • Are there specific consumer disclosures that would help address concerns about unaffordable loans? • How would such provisions affect consumers and the type and terms of credit offered? By order of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, May 24, 2007. Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E7–10395 Filed 5–30–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210–01–P FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT BOARD Employee Thrift Advisory Council Sunshine Act Meeting 1:30 p.m. (Eastern Time), June 12, 2007. PLACE: 4th Floor, Conference Room, 1250 H Street, NW., Washington, DC. STATUS: Open. MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: 1. Approval of the minutes of the February 7, 2007 meeting. 2. Nomination of Council Chairman and election of Vice Chairman. 3. Report of the Executive Director on Thrift Savings Plan Status. 4. Discussion of three potential FRTIB legislative proposals (automatic enrollment, L Fund default investments, Roth feature). 5. Other proposals. 6. New business. CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: Thomas K. Emswiler, Committee Management Officer, (202) 942–1660. TIME AND DATE: Dated: May 25, 2007. Thomas K. Emswiler, General Counsel, Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board. [FR Doc. 07–2703 Filed 5–29–07; 9:44 am] 30383 reappointments to fill the vacancies occurring this year. DATES: Appointments are effective May 1, 2007 through April 30, 2010, except as noted. ADDRESSES: GAO: 441 G Street, NW., Washington, DC 20548. MedPAC: 601 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Suite 9000, Washington, DC 20001. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: GAO Office of Public Affairs, (202) 512– 4800. MedPAC: Mark E. Miller, PhD, (202) 220–3700. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To fill this year’s vacancies I am announcing the following: Newly appointed members are Thomas M. Dean, M.D., Chief of Staff, Avera Weskota Memorial Medical Center; Jack C. Ebeler, Independent consultant; and Bruce Stuart, PhD, professor and executive director, Peter Lamy Center on Drug Therapy and Aging, University of Maryland Baltimore. Professor Stuart is appointed to complete the remaining two years of Douglas Holtz-Eakin’s three-year term that began in 2006. Holtz-Eakin resigned from his position on MedPAC effective May 2, 2007. Reappointed members are John M. Bertko, F.S.A., M.A.A.A., vice president and chief actuary, Humana Inc.; Francis J. Crosson, M.D., executive director, the Permanente Federation, LLC; Arnold Milstein, M.D., M.P.H., medical director, Pacific Business Group on Health; and William J. Scanlon, PhD, health policy consultant. (Sec. 4022, Pub. L. 105–33, 111 Stat. 251, 350) David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United States. [FR Doc. 07–2680 Filed 5–30–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 1610–02–M BILLING CODE 6760–01–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Appointments to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission Notice of Meeting Government Accountability Office (GAO). ACTION: Notice of appointments. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 established the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and gave the Comptroller General responsibility for appointing its members. This notice announces three new appointments and four PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 In accordance with section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C., Appendix 2), announcement is made of a Health Care Policy and Research Special Emphasis Panel (SEP) meeting. A Special Emphasis Panel is a group of experts in fields related to health care research who are invited by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and agreed to be available, to conduct on an as needed basis, E:\FR\FM\31MYN1.SGM 31MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 104 (Thursday, May 31, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30380-30383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10395]


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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

[Docket No. OP-1288]


Home Equity Lending Market; Notice of Hearings

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

ACTION: Public hearing; request for comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Section 158 of the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 
1994 (HOEPA) \1\ directs the Board to hold public hearings periodically 
on the

[[Page 30381]]

home equity lending market and the adequacy of existing regulatory and 
legislative provisions (including HOEPA) in protecting the interests of 
consumers. Consequently, as previously announced, the Board will hold a 
hearing on the home equity lending market and invites the public to 
attend and to comment on the issues that will be the focus of the 
hearing. Additional information about the hearing will be posted to the 
Board's Web site at https://www.federalreserve.gov.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Pub. L. 103-325, 108 Stat. 2160.

DATES: The date of the hearing is June 14, 2007.
    Comments. Comments from persons unable to attend the hearing or 
otherwise wishing to submit written views on the issues raised in this 
notice must be received by August 15, 2007.

ADDRESSES: The location of the hearing is:
    The Federal Reserve Board, 20th and C Streets, NW., Washington, DC 
20551, in the Martin Building, Terrace Level, Dining Room E.
    You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. OP-1288, by any 
of the following methods:
     Agency Web Site: https://www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments at https://www.federalreserve.gov/
generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: regs.comments@federalreserve.gov. Include the 
docket number in the subject line of the message.
     Fax: (202) 452-3819 or (202) 452-3102.
     Mail: Address to Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20551.
    All public comments will be made available on the Board's Web site 
at https://www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm as 
submitted, unless modified for technical reasons. Accordingly, comments 
will not be edited to remove any identifying or contact information. 
Public comments may also be viewed electronically or in paper in Room 
MP-500 of the Board's Martin Building (20th and C Streets, NW.) between 
9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen C. Ryan, Counsel, or Paul 
Mondor, Attorney, Division of Consumer and Community Affairs, Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551, at (202) 
452-2412 or (202) 452-3667. For users of Telecommunications Device for 
the Deaf (TDD) only, contact (202) 263-4869.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

1. HOEPA

    In 1994, the Congress enacted the Home Ownership and Equity 
Protection Act (HOEPA) as an amendment to the Truth in Lending Act 
(TILA), in response to testimony about predatory home equity lending 
practices in underserved markets, where some lenders were making high-
rate, high-fee home equity loans to cash-poor homeowners. HOEPA 
identifies a class of high-cost mortgage loans based on the loans' 
rates and fees. Loans above HOEPA's price triggers require additional 
disclosures and are subject to substantive restrictions on loan terms. 
HOEPA is implemented by the Board's Regulation Z (12 CFR 226.32 and 
34).
    Section 158 of HOEPA also directs the Board to hold public hearings 
periodically on the home equity lending market and the adequacy of 
existing regulatory and legislative provisions for protecting the 
interests of consumers, particularly low-income consumers. Hearings 
were held in 1997, 2000, and 2006. Following the 2000 hearings and the 
receipt of public comment, the Board amended the provisions of 
Regulation Z that implement HOEPA. These revisions included extending 
HOEPA's coverage to more loans, enhancing disclosures for HOEPA loans, 
and expanding its substantive restrictions. The revisions took effect 
in October 2002.
    In addition to the Board's general grant of rulewriting authority 
under HOEPA, Section 129(l)(2) of HOEPA also confers regulatory 
authority on the Board to prohibit acts or practices:
     In connection with mortgage loans--if the Board finds the 
practice to be unfair, deceptive, or designed to evade HOEPA; and
     In connection with refinancings of mortgage loans--if the 
Board finds that the practice is associated with abusive lending 
practices or otherwise not in the interest of the borrower.

2. The Board's 2006 Hearings

    The Board's most recent hearings under HOEPA covered three broad 
topics: (1) The impact of the 2002 HOEPA rule changes and state and 
local predatory lending laws on predatory lending practices; (2) 
nontraditional mortgage products and reverse mortgages; and (3) 
informed consumer choice in the subprime market. Hearing panelists 
included mortgage lenders and brokers, credit ratings agencies, 
realtors, consumer advocates, community development groups, housing 
counselors, academicians, researchers, and state and Federal Government 
officials.
    Consumer advocates and some state officials stated that HOEPA (and 
state predatory lending laws) are generally effective in preventing 
loans with abusive terms from being made for loans subject to the HOEPA 
price triggers. Some advocated that Congress should lower HOEPA's 
coverage triggers so that more loans are subject to HOEPA. Consumer 
advocates and state officials urged regulators and Congress to take 
action to curb abusive practices for loans that do not meet HOEPA's 
price triggers.
    Consumer advocates urged the Board to prohibit or restrict certain 
loan features or terms, such as prepayment penalties, and underwriting 
practices such as ``stated income'' or ``low documentation'' (``low 
doc'') loans where the borrower's income is not documented or verified. 
They also expressed concern about aggressive marketing practices that 
include steering borrowers to higher-cost loans by emphasizing initial 
low monthly payments based on an introductory rate without adequately 
explaining that the consumer will have considerably higher monthly 
payments after the introductory rate expires. Finally, some consumer 
advocates stated that brokers and lenders should be held to a fiduciary 
standard such as a duty of good faith and fair dealing or a requirement 
that they make only loans that are suitable for a particular borrower.
    Industry panelists and commenters, on the other hand, expressed 
concern that HOEPA may reduce the availability of credit for some 
subprime borrowers. They stated that state predatory lending laws may 
also reduce credit availability. Most industry commenters opposed 
prohibitions on stated income loans, prepayment penalties, and other 
loan terms, asserting that these features could benefit some borrowers. 
They urged the Board and other regulators to focus instead on enforcing 
existing laws to remove ``bad actors'' from the market. Some lenders 
indicated, however, that carefully constructed reasonable restrictions 
on certain loan features or practices might be appropriate if the 
conditions were clear and would not unduly reduce credit availability. 
Fiduciary responsibilities would, in industry's view, create conflicts 
for lenders, who are responsible to their shareholders. Industry 
commenters also stated that subjective suitability

[[Page 30382]]

standards would create uncertainties for brokers and lenders and 
subject them to litigation risk.

II. Information About the Board's 2007 Hearing

    The June 14th hearing is open to the public to attend. Seating will 
be limited, however. All visitors must register at least 24 hours in 
advance for security purposes and may access the Board's online 
registration service at https://www.federalreserve.gov/secure/forms/
hoeparegistration.cfm. Further information about the hearing, as it 
becomes available, will be posted on the Board's Web site at https://
www.federalreserve.gov. The hearing will begin at 8:30 a.m. and 
conclude at 4 p.m. (EST).
    The Board will invite persons to participate in panel discussions 
on the topics discussed below. In addition to the panel discussions, 
the Board intends to reserve about one hour after the conclusion of the 
panels, at 3 p.m., to permit interested parties other than those on the 
panels to make brief statements. To allow as many persons as possible 
to offer their views during this period, oral statements will be 
limited to three minutes or less; written statements of any length may 
be submitted for the record. Interested parties who wish to participate 
during this ``open-mike'' period may contact the Board in advance of 
the hearing date at the telephone numbers provided in this notice, to 
facilitate planning for this portion of the hearings.

III. 2007 Hearing Discussion and Request for Comment

    This hearing will examine how the Board might use its rulemaking 
authority under section 129(l)(2) of HOEPA to address concerns about 
abusive lending practices in the mortgage market, including the 
subprime mortgage market. The purpose of the hearing is to enable the 
Board to gather information to evaluate whether it can address issues 
about predatory lending in a way that preserves incentives for 
responsible lenders to provide credit to borrowers, particularly 
subprime borrowers.
    The Board solicits comment on whether it should use its rulemaking 
authority to address concerns about the loan terms or practices listed 
below, and any others that commenters identify. Commenters are 
requested to discuss whether these terms or practices are associated 
with unfairness or deception, evasion of HOEPA, abusive lending, or are 
not otherwise in the interest of borrowers. In addition, commenters are 
requested to address whether the term or practice should be prohibited 
or restricted for all mortgage loans, only for loans offered to 
subprime borrowers, or other subsets of loans such as loans to first-
time homebuyers, home purchase loans, or refinancings and home equity 
loans; only certain products, such as adjustable rate mortgages or 
nontraditional mortgages.\2\ Comment is also requested on the 
effectiveness of state laws that have prohibited or restricted the 
practices listed below (and others) and whether the Board should 
consider adopting similar regulations to curb abuses without 
restricting access to responsible mortgage lending.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Nontraditional mortgage products are mortgage loans that 
allow borrowers to defer repayment of principal and, sometimes, 
interest. They include interest-only loans and ``payment option'' 
ARMs where a borrower has flexible payment options with the 
potential for negative amortization.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A. Prepayment penalties. Consumer advocates state that prepayment 
penalties deter a consumer from refinancing the loan on more favorable 
terms and that consumers do not receive any benefit in return. Consumer 
advocates are also concerned about prepayment penalties that extend 
beyond the expiration of an introductory or teaser rate on an ARM, 
which deter consumers from refinancing to avoid payment shock when the 
rate resets. Consequently, some consumer advocates recommend that 
penalties be banned or restricted for such loans. According to industry 
representatives, however, prepayment penalties ensure a minimum return 
on the transaction if loans are paid off early. Industry 
representatives also state that consumers receive, in return, a benefit 
in the form of lower up-front costs or lower interest rates.
    The Board requests comment on the following questions related to 
prepayment penalties:
     Should prepayment penalties be restricted? For example, 
should prepayment penalties that extend beyond the first adjustment 
period on an ARM be prohibited?
     Would enhanced disclosure of prepayment penalties help 
address concerns about abuses?
     How would a prohibition or restriction on prepayment 
penalties affect consumers and the type and terms of credit offered?
    B. Escrow for taxes and insurance on subprime loans. Loans to prime 
borrowers typically include an escrow for taxes and insurance, while 
loans to subprime borrowers typically do not include escrows. Consumer 
advocates are concerned that subprime borrowers are not aware of, and 
may not be able to budget for, these expenses. They are also concerned 
that lenders quote monthly payments to subprime borrowers that do not 
include taxes and insurance, and these borrowers do not realize that 
they will have to budget separately for these obligations.
    The Board requests comment on the following questions related to 
escrows for taxes and insurance:
     Should escrows for taxes and insurance be required for 
subprime mortgage loans? If escrows were to be required, should 
consumers be permitted to ``opt out'' of escrows?
     Should lenders be required to disclose the absence of 
escrows to consumers and if so, at what point during a transaction? 
Should lenders be required to disclose an estimate of the consumer's 
tax and insurance obligations?
     How would escrow requirements affect consumers and the 
type and terms of credit offered?
    C. ``Stated income'' or ``low doc'' loans. In some cases a lender 
will make a mortgage loan without documenting or verifying a borrower's 
income; lenders may charge higher rates for such loans. Lenders state 
that these loans are appropriate for many borrowers, including those 
who are self-employed and cannot easily document their income or who 
choose not to. Consumer advocates state that many borrowers who could 
document their income are not aware that they are getting a stated 
income loan with a higher rate. They state that some brokers and 
lenders use ``stated income'' or ``low doc'' loans to perpetrate fraud 
(e.g., the consumer's income is falsified or ``marked up'' by a broker 
or loan officer and is not verified by the lender). Concerns have also 
been raised about the use of stated income loans with other ``risk 
layering features'' such as second-lien loans for all or part of the 
consumer's downpayment.
    The Board requests comment on the following questions related to 
stated income and low doc loans:
     Should stated income or low doc loans be prohibited for 
certain loans, such as loans to subprime borrowers?
     Should stated income or low doc loans be prohibited for 
higher-risk loans, for example, for loans with high loan-to-value 
ratios?
     How would a restriction on stated income or low doc loans 
affect consumers and the type and terms of credit offered?
     Should lenders be required to disclose to the consumer 
that a stated income loan is being offered and allow the consumer the 
option to document income?

[[Page 30383]]

    D. Unaffordable loans. Consumer advocates state that some lenders 
extend loans without adequately considering the borrower's ability to 
repay the loan. For example, lenders may qualify borrowers based on an 
ARM's introductory rate and not at the fully-indexed rate that will 
apply once the introductory rate expires. Lenders state that it is 
appropriate to make such loans in certain circumstances, for example, 
where the borrower is likely to be able to refinance the loan at a 
lower rate before the reset date. Other circumstances include those in 
which borrowers expect to sell their home within a few years, or expect 
a significant decrease in their monthly obligations or a significant 
increase in income, such as a borrower who is completing professional 
training. Because loans are frequently sold to purchasers who generally 
cannot be held liable for the loan originator's actions, and because 
the risk of default is spread out among investors in loan pools, some 
consumer advocates believe that there is insufficient accountability 
for making loans that consumers cannot repay.
    Recently the Board and the other banking and thrift regulators 
issued guidance on underwriting nontraditional mortgage products. The 
guidance provides that:

    An institution's analysis of a borrower's repayment capacity 
should include an evaluation of their ability to repay the debt by 
final maturity at the fully indexed rate, assuming a fully 
amortizing repayment schedule. In addition, for products that permit 
negative amortization, the repayment analysis should be based upon 
the initial loan amount plus any balance increase that may accrue 
from the negative amortization provision.

    71 FR 58609, 58614 (Oct. 4, 2006) (footnotes omitted).
    Some have urged that lenders should be required to underwrite all 
mortgage loans based on a fully-indexed rate and a fully amortizing 
payment. Some have also advocated a rebuttable presumption that a 
borrower cannot afford to repay a loan if the borrower's debt-to-income 
ratio exceeds 50 percent and that such loans should be prohibited by 
regulation.
    The Board requests comment on the following questions:
     Should lenders be required to underwrite all loans based 
on the fully-indexed rate and fully amortizing payments?
     Should there be a rebuttable presumption that a loan is 
unaffordable if the borrower's debt-to-income ratio exceeds 50 percent 
(at loan origination)?
     Are there specific consumer disclosures that would help 
address concerns about unaffordable loans?
     How would such provisions affect consumers and the type 
and terms of credit offered?

    By order of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System, May 24, 2007.
Jennifer J. Johnson,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. E7-10395 Filed 5-30-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210-01-P
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