HUD gets acting secretary; FHA revises qualification requirements for single-family nonprofit program; exemption from hiring freeze excludes VA’s home loans program.

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.

Trade groups and consumer advocacy groups sent comments to FHA on a draft proposal from late November introducing a permanent loss-mitigation waterfall.

House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chair Mike Bost, R-IL, said the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn the Chevron doctrine should restore some checks and balances.

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

The rule, effective March 4, makes some existing manufactured homes eligible for Rural Housing Service financing.

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.

Endorsement activity involving traditional HECMs declined slightly and production of HECMs for home purchase increased during the third quarter. Mutual of Omaha remained the top HECM lender. (Includes three data tables.)

Among a large group of FHA/VA lenders, the broker channel accounted for 24.8% of government-insured originations in the third quarter. UWM and PennyMac sharply increased their broker volume in the quarter. (Includes data table.)