Federal Housing Finance Agency July 2, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA or Agency) is promulgating and seeking comment on an interim final regulation to implement section 1321 of the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, as amended by section 1123 of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. The regulation establishes a process for the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (collectively, the Enterprises) to obtain prior approval from the FHFA Director for a new product and provide prior notice to the Director of a new activity. Specifically, the interim final regulation implements section 1321 and is designed to ensure that the FHFA Director has the opportunity to determine prior to an Enterprise commencing a new activity whether the new activity is a new product, and if it is a new product, to determine whether the new product is authorized by the Enterprise's charter, is in the public interest, and is consistent with the safety and soundness of the Enterprise or the mortgage finance or financial system. FHFA invites public comment on all aspects of the regulation.