Federal Housing Finance Agency – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The OCC, Board, FDIC, FCA, and FHFA (each, an agency, and collectively, the agencies) are adopting a final rule that amends the agencies' regulations requiring swap dealers and security-based swap dealers under the agencies' respective jurisdictions to exchange margin with their counterparties for swaps that are not centrally cleared (Swap Margin Rule). The Swap Margin Rule as adopted in 2015 takes effect under a phased compliance schedule spanning from 2016 through 2020, and the entities covered by the rule continue to hold swaps in their portfolios that were entered into before the effective dates of the rule. Such swaps are grandfathered from the Swap Margin Rule's requirements until they expire according to their terms. The final rule permits swaps entered into prior to an applicable compliance date (legacy swaps) to retain their legacy status in the event that they are amended to replace an interbank offered rate (IBOR) or other discontinued rate, modifies initial margin requirements for non-cleared swaps between affiliates, introduces an additional compliance date for initial margin requirements, clarifies the point in time at which trading documentation must be in place, permits legacy swaps to retain their legacy status in the event that they are amended due to technical amendments, notional reductions, or portfolio compression exercises, and makes technical changes to relocate the provision addressing amendments to legacy swaps that are made to comply with the Qualified Financial Contract Rules, as defined in the Supplementary Information section. In addition, the final rule addresses comments received in response to the agencies' publication of the interim final rule that would preserve the status of legacy swaps meeting certain criteria if the United Kingdom withdraws from the European Union (hereafter ``Brexit) without a negotiated settlement agreement.

The OCC, Board, FDIC, Commission, FHFA, and HUD (the agencies) are providing notice of the extension of the period for the review, and publication of determination of the review, of the definition of qualified residential mortgage; the community-focused residential mortgage exemption; and the exemption for qualifying three-to-four unit residential mortgage loans, in each case as currently set forth in the Credit Risk Retention Regulations (as defined below) as adopted by the agencies.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is amending the existing Federal Home Loan Bank (Bank) Housing Goals regulation. The final rule replaces the existing regulation's four separate retrospective housing goals with a single prospective mortgage purchase housing goal with a target level of 20 percent. The final rule also establishes a separate small member participation housing goal with a target level of 50 percent. The final rule provides that a Bank may request FHFA approval of alternative target levels for either or both of the goals. The final rule also establishes that housing goals apply to each Bank that acquires any Acquired Member Assets (AMA) mortgages during a year, eliminating the existing $2.5 billion volume threshold that previously triggered the application of housing goals for each Bank. Enforcement of the final rule will phase in over three years.

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA or the Agency) is seeking public comments concerning an information collection known as ``Contractor Workforce Inclusion Good Faith Efforts,'' which has been assigned control number 2590-0016 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). FHFA intends to submit the information collection to OMB for review and approval of a three-year extension of the control number, which is due to expire on July 31, 2020.

In this document, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) provides notice that it issued Orders, dated March 10, 2020, with respect to stress test reporting as of December 31, 2019, under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), as amended by the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (EGRRCPA). Summary Instructions and Guidance accompanied the Orders to provide testing scenarios.

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is seeking public comments concerning an information collection known as ``Members of the Banks,'' which has been assigned control number 2590-0003 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). FHFA intends to submit the information collection to OMB for review and approval of a three-year extension of the control number, which is due to expire on March 31, 2020.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is adopting a final rule that amends its stress testing rule, consistent with section 401 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (EGRRCPA). These amendments adopt the proposed amendments without change to modify the minimum threshold for the regulated entities to conduct stress tests increased from $10 billion to $250 billion; removal of the requirements for Federal Home Loan Banks (Banks) subject to stress testing; and removal of the adverse scenario from the list of required scenarios. These amendments align FHFA's rule with rules adopted by other financial institution regulators that implement the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) stress testing requirements, as amended by EGRRCPA.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is adopting this final rule amending its Rules of Practice and Procedure and other agency regulations to adjust each civil money penalty within its jurisdiction to account for inflation, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015.

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is seeking public comments concerning an information collection known as ``Members of the Banks,'' which has been assigned control number 2590-0003 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). FHFA intends to submit the information collection to OMB for review and approval of a three-year extension of the control number, which is due to expire on March 31, 2020.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as well as the Federal Home Loan Banks, seeks public input on residential energy retrofitting programs financed through special state legislation enabling a ``super-priority lien'' over existing and subsequent first mortgages. In particular, FHFA seeks input on potential changes to its policies for its regulated entities based on safety and soundness concerns. These state programs, termed Property Assessed Clean Energy or PACE, address residential properties and commercial applications. FHFA's primary focus is on residential PACE programs in this Request for Input (RFI).

The OCC, Board, FDIC, Commission, FHFA, and HUD (the agencies) are providing notice of the commencement of the review of the definition of qualified residential mortgage; the community-focused residential mortgage exemption; and the exemption for qualifying three- to-four unit residential mortgage loans, in each case as currently set forth in the Credit Risk Retention Regulations (as defined below) as adopted by the agencies.

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is seeking public comments concerning an information collection known as the ``National Survey of Mortgage Originations'' (NSMO), which has been assigned control number 2590-0012 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). FHFA intends to submit the information collection to OMB for review and approval of a three-year extension of the control number, which is due to expire on April 30, 2020.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is issuing a final rule on the process for validation and approval of credit score models by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (together, the Enterprises). The final rule defines a four-phase process for an Enterprise to validate and approve credit score models. The process begins with the Credit Score Solicitation (a solicitation by the Enterprises of applications from credit score model developers), followed by the Submission and Initial Review of Applications (an initial review by the Enterprise of submitted applications). The third phase is a Credit Score Assessment by the Enterprise, and the fourth phase is an Enterprise Business Assessment. The final rule establishes criteria for each of the four phases and includes required timing and notices for Enterprise decisions under the process.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA or Agency) recently discontinued publication of its monthly index for adjustable rate mortgage loans, known as the National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders, due to dwindling participation by mortgage originators in the Agency's Monthly Survey of Rates and Terms on Conventional One-Family Non-farm Mortgage Loans, on which the index had been based. By this notice, FHFA is designating a replacement index, to be called ``PMMS+.'' The replacement index will be an adjusted version of Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey 30-Yr FRM, and will take effect immediately. FHFA intends to publish the PMMS+ Index value monthly and on approximately the same schedule as it has been publishing the existing index. FHFA is soliciting public comments on its designation of the replacement index and will consider any comments received before finalizing its decision about the successor index.

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is seeking public comments concerning an information collection known as the ``American Survey of Mortgage Borrowers,'' which has been assigned control number 2590-0015 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). FHFA intends to submit the information collection to OMB for review and approval of a three-year extension of the control number, which is due to expire on July 31, 2019.

The OCC, Board, FDIC, FCA, and FHFA (each an Agency and, collectively, the Agencies) are adopting and invite comment on an interim final rule amending the Agencies' regulations that require swap dealers and security-based swap dealers under the Agencies' respective jurisdictions to exchange margin with their counterparties for swaps that are not centrally cleared (Swap Margin Rule). The Swap Margin Rule takes effect under a phased compliance schedule stretching from 2016 through 2020, and the dealers covered by the rule continue to hold swaps in their portfolios that were entered into before the effective dates of the rule. Those swaps are grandfathered from the Swap Margin Rule's requirements until they expire according to their terms. There are currently financial services firms located within the United Kingdom (U.K.) that conduct swap dealing activities subject to the Swap Margin Rule. The U.K. has provided formal notice of its intention to withdraw from the European Union (E.U.) on March 29, 2019. If this transpires without a negotiated agreement between the U.K. and E.U., these entities located in the U.K. may not be authorized to provide full-scope financial services to swap counterparties located in the E.U. The Agencies' policy objective in developing the interim final rule is to address one aspect of the scenario likely to ensue, whereby entities located in the U.K. might transfer their existing swap portfolios that face counterparties located in the E.U. over to an affiliate or other related establishment located within the E.U. or the United States (U.S.). The Agencies seek to address industry concerns about the status of grandfathered swaps in this scenario, so the industry can focus on making preparations for swap transfers. These transfers, if carried out in accordance with the conditions of the interim final rule, will not trigger the application of the Swap Margin Rule to grandfathered swaps that were entered into before the compliance dates of the Swap Margin Rule.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA or Agency) is issuing a final rule to improve the liquidity of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (collectively, the Enterprises) To-Be-Announced (TBA) eligible mortgage-backed securities (MBS) by requiring the Enterprises to maintain policies that promote aligned investor cash flows for both current TBA-eligible MBS, and, upon its implementation, for the Uniform Mortgage-Backed Security (UMBS)a common, fungible MBS that will be eligible for trading in the TBA market for fixed-rate mortgage loans backed by one-to-four unit (single-family) properties. The final rule codifies alignment requirements that FHFA implemented under the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac conservatorships. The rule is integral to the successful transition to and ongoing fungibility of the UMBS. FHFA has announced that the Enterprises will begin issuing UMBS in place of their current TBA-eligible securities on June 3, 2019.

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA or the Agency) is seeking public comments concerning a previously approved information collection known as ``Advances to Housing Associates,'' which has been assigned control number 2590-0001 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). FHFA intends to submit the information collection to OMB for review and approval of a three-year renewal and reinstatement of the control number, which expired on December 31, 2018.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is proposing a rule on the process for validation and approval of credit score models by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (together, the Enterprises. FHFA requests public comment on all aspects of this proposed rule.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is adopting a final rule pertaining to the operation of the Financing Corporation (FICO), a vehicle established by one of FHFA's predecessors to issue bonds, the proceeds of which were used to help fund the resolution of failed savings and loan associations during the 1980s. The last of those FICO bonds will mature in September 2019. By statute, FICO obtains the monies to pay the interest on those bonds by assessing depository institutions (FICO assessments) that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The final rule addresses the manner in which FICO will conduct the 2019 FICO assessments, which will be the last of those assessments. Specifically, the final rule provides that all payments made by FDIC-insured depository institutions during 2019 are final, and that no adjustments to prior FICO assessments will be permitted after March 26, 2019, the projected date as of which the FDIC will finalize the amounts of the final collection for the 2019 FICO assessments.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is proposing to amend the existing Federal Home Loan Bank Housing Goals regulation. FHFA proposes to replace the existing four separate retrospective housing goals with a single prospective mortgage purchase housing goal as well as establish a separate small member participation housing goal. The proposed rule would also allow the Banks to request FHFA approval of alternative target levels for the proposed goals. Finally, FHFA is proposing to eliminate the existing $2.5 billion volume threshold that triggers the application of housing goals for each Bank.

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA or the Agency) is seeking public comments concerning an information collection known as ``Advances to Housing Associates,'' which has been assigned control number 2590-0001 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). FHFA intends to submit the information collection to OMB for review and approval of a three-year extension of the control number, which is due to expire on December 31, 2018.

The Board, OCC, FDIC, FCA, and FHFA (each an Agency and, collectively, the Agencies) are adopting amendments to their rules establishing minimum margin requirements for registered swap dealers, major swap participants, security-based swap dealers, and major security-based swap participants (Swap Margin Rule). These amendments conform the Swap Margin Rule to rules recently adopted by the Board, the OCC, and the FDIC that impose restrictions on certain qualified financial contracts, including certain non-cleared swaps subject to the Swap Margin Rule (the QFC Rules). Specifically, the final amendments to the Swap Margin Rule conform the definition of ``Eligible Master Netting Agreement'' to the definition of ``Qualifying Master Netting Agreement'' in the QFC Rules. The amendment to the Swap Margin Rule ensures that netting agreements of firms subject to the Swap Margin Rule are not excluded from the definition of ``Eligible Master Netting Agreement'' based solely on their compliance with the QFC Rules. The amendment also ensures that margin amounts required for non-cleared swaps covered by agreements that otherwise constitute Eligible Master Netting Agreements can continue to be calculated on a net portfolio basis, notwithstanding changes to those agreements that will be made in some instances by firms revising their netting agreements to achieve compliance with the QFC Rules. In addition, for any non-cleared swaps that were ``entered into'' before the compliance dates of the Swap Margin Rulesand which are accordingly grandfathered from application of the rule's margin requirementsthe amendments state that any changes to netting agreements that are required to conform to the QFC Rules will not render grandfathered swaps covered by that netting agreement as ``new'' swaps subject to the Swap Margin Rule.

Notice is hereby given that the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has made available its Information Quality Guidelines pursuant to the requirements of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility and Integrity of Information Disseminated by Federal Agencies, dated February 22, 2002. The purpose of this notice is to publish the location of the Guidelines on the FHFA website at https://www.fhfa.gov/ AboutUs/InformationQuality.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA or Agency) is providing notice and inviting comment on a proposed rule to improve the liquidity of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (the Enterprises) To-Be-Announced (TBA) eligible mortgage-backed securities (MBS) by requiring the Enterprises to maintain policies that promote aligned investor cash flows both on current TBA-eligible MBS, and, upon its implementation, on the Uniform Mortgage-Backed Security (UMBS)a common, fungible MBS that will be eligible for trading in the TBA market for fixed-rate mortgage loans backed by 1-4 unit (single-family) properties.