Federal Housing Finance Agency August 4, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Capital Classifications and Critical Capital Levels for the Federal Home Loan Banks
Document Number: E9-18581
Type: Rule
Date: 2009-08-04
Agency: Federal Housing Finance Agency
The Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act, Division A of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA), requires the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to establish criteria based on the amount and type of capital held by a Federal Home Loan Bank (Bank) for each of the following capital classifications: Adequately capitalized; Undercapitalized; Significantly undercapitalized; and Critically undercapitalized. In addition, HERA provides that the critical capital level for each Bank shall be the amount of capital that the Director by regulation shall require. HERA also sets forth prompt corrective action (PCA) authority that the Director has for the Banks. To implement these new provisions, FHFA published in the Federal Register on January 30, 2009 an interim final rule to define critical capital for the Banks, establish the criteria for each of the capital classifications identified in HERA and delineate its PCA authority over the Banks. FHFA requested comments on all aspects of the regulation. It also sought comment on whether it should establish a ``well-capitalized'' classification and on what criteria may be appropriate to define such a new category. After considering the comments received on the interim final rule, FHFA is adopting the interim final rule as a final regulation, subject to amendments meant to clarify certain provisions.
Board of Directors of Federal Home Loan Bank System Office of Finance
Document Number: E9-18567
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2009-08-04
Agency: Federal Housing Finance Board, Agencies and Commissions, Federal Housing Finance Agency
Governed by the Federal Housing Finance Agency's (FHFA) regulations, the Federal Home Loan Bank System's (System) Office of Finance, issues debt (``consolidated obligations'') on which the Federal Home Loan Banks (Banks) are jointly and severally liable and publishes combined financial reports on the Banks so that investors in the consolidated obligations can assess the strength of the System that stands behind them. The Office of Finance (OF) is governed by a board of directors, the composition and functions of which are determined by FHFA's regulations. The FHFA's experience with the System and with the OF's combined financial reports during the recent period of market stress suggests that the OF and the System could benefit from a reconstituted and strengthened board. This proposed regulation is intended to achieve that.
Federal Home Loan Bank Collateral for Advances and Interagency Guidance on Nontraditional Mortgage Products
Document Number: E9-18545
Type: Notice
Date: 2009-08-04
Agency: Federal Housing Finance Agency
Section 1217 of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) requires the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to conduct a study on the extent to which loans and securities used as collateral to support Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) advances are consistent with the interagency guidance on nontraditional mortgage products. The study must be submitted to the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives no later than July 30, 2009, one year after the date of the HERA enactment. Further, the study (the HERA Section 1217 Study) must consider and recommend any additional regulations, guidance, advisory bulletins, or other administrative actions necessary to ensure that the FHLBanks are not supporting loans with predatory characteristics. Section 1217 of HERA also requires that the public have an opportunity to comment on any recommendations made as a result of the study. This Federal Register Notice is intended to inform the public about the HERA Section 1217 Study and provide the public with the requisite opportunity to comment.
Duty To Serve Underserved Markets for Enterprises
Document Number: E9-18515
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2009-08-04
Agency: Federal Housing Finance Agency
Section 1129 of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) amended the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 (Safety and Soundness Act) to establish a duty for the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (collectively, Enterprises) to serve three underserved marketsmanufactured housing, affordable housing preservation, and rural areasin order to increase the liquidity of mortgage investments and improve the distribution of investment capital available for mortgage financing in those markets. Section 1335 of the Safety and Soundness Act, as amended, requires the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), beginning in 2010, to establish a manner for: evaluating whether and to what extent the Enterprises have complied with the duty to serve underserved markets; and rating the extent of compliance. To assist FHFA in rulemaking to implement the duty to serve underserved markets, FHFA seeks comment on the characteristics and types of Enterprise transactions and activities that should be considered and how such transactions and activities should be evaluated and rated, for purposes of determining the Enterprises' performance of the duty to serve underserved markets.
Record Retention
Document Number: E9-18489
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2009-08-04
Agency: Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight Office, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Housing Finance Board, Agencies and Commissions, Federal Housing Finance Agency
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is proposing a Record Retention regulation. The proposed regulation would set forth record retention requirements with respect to the record management programs of the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Banks, and the Office of Finance consistent with the safety and soundness authority of FHFA under the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, as amended.
Affordable Housing Program Amendments: Federal Home Loan Bank Mortgage Refinancing Authority
Document Number: E9-18484
Type: Rule
Date: 2009-08-04
Agency: Federal Housing Finance Agency
Section 1218 of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) requires the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to permit the Federal Home Loan Banks (Banks) until July 30, 2010, to use Affordable Housing Program (AHP) homeownership set-aside funds to refinance low- or moderate-income households' mortgage loans. On October 17, 2008, FHFA amended its AHP regulation to authorize the Banks to provide AHP direct subsidies under their homeownership set-aside programs to low- or moderate-income households who qualify for refinancing assistance under the Hope for Homeowners Program established by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) under Title IV of HERA. Based on the comments received on the amendments and continuing adverse conditions of the mortgage market, FHFA has determined that in order for the AHP set-aside refinancing program to be implemented successfully for the benefit of the intended households, the scope of the program authority should be broadened and the Banks should have greater flexibility in implementing the program. Accordingly, FHFA is issuing and seeking comment on an interim final rule that authorizes the Banks to provide AHP subsidy through their members to assist in the refinancing of eligible households' mortgages under eligible Federal, State and local programs for targeted refinancing in addition to the Hope for Homeowners Program. These programs would include the Administration's Making Home Affordable Refinancing program. The interim final rule permits the Banks to provide AHP direct subsidy to members and to use the subsidy for principal reduction and for loan closing costs, and requires that households obtain counseling for qualification for refinancing and foreclosure mitigation.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.