More than 450 mortgage loans, many of them insured by FHA, were approved based on fabricated documents tied to the guilty plea.

HUD alleged PHH charged convenience fees in violation of FHA requirements.

The plaintiffs contended that the new standards act as a deterrent to new construction and are in direct conflict with the current energy codes in the majority of jurisdictions around the country.

To this point, FHA hadn’t published its method of identifying servicing defects before, except in draft form.

The changes are meant to better align the program with other federal housing programs and adhere to legislative updates.

Scott Turner’s nomination hearing scheduled for next week; FHA updates draft mortgagee letter on partial claim document recording and payoff statements; Fannie Mae updates Desktop Underwriter in support of FHA and VA loan limit changes; FHA adopts Uniform Residential Loan Application for Title I loan programs; the Mortgage Bankers Association provides feedback on proposed updates to Title I manufactured housing program; FHA outlines changes on multifamily loan underwriting thresholds.

Michael Barr to step down as Fed vice chair for supervision; fifteen states and the National Association of Home Builders sue HUD over energy-efficiency requirements; Ally to exit origination business.

HUD said its current rule adversely impacts the availability of affordable homes for sale.

Mortgage lenders are pushing back on enforcement actions against servicer convenience fees for optional expedited payment services.

The SFLS program is intended to yield a recovery to the MMIF that meets or exceeds the recovery obtained from a foreclosure-based claim.