The CFPB intends to do away with the debt-to-income metric as a mortgage underwriting factor and instead consider an alternative to assess a borrower’s ability to repay. The news drew mixed reactions.

In a new policy statement, the CFPB said it will rely on a cost-benefit analysis to deal with “abusiveness” claims in supervision and enforcement.

More than a dozen briefs have been filed before the Supreme Court defending the CFPB’s constitutionality. State attorneys general told the high court that killing the bureau would harm states’ consumer protection authority.

The TRID rule’s cure liability issues and compliance burdens were the main focus of industry feedback letters to the CFPB.

Thomas Ward, deputy assistant attorney general overseeing the torts branch in the civil division of the DOJ, will now serve as the CFPB’s assistant director for enforcement.

CFPB updates HMDA small entity compliance guide; the bureau files a lawsuit against Citizens Bank for credit card dispute issues; industry and consumer groups seek a delay in risk-retention rule revision.

The court-appointed CFPB defender said the petition challenging the bureau’s structure is “remarkably weak.” According to him, there is no basis “to take the grave step of invalidating an act of Congress.”

The bureau has picked a longtime critic to chair its task force to review federal consumer financial laws. The move has consumer advocates up in arms.

A Fed governor introduced the metric-based approach to reform the Community Reinvestment Act, which would assess mortgage lending to both low- and moderate-income borrowers and LMI communities.

Mortgage industry groups have urged the Supreme Court to choose a narrow remedy approach if the CFPB’s leadership structure is found unconstitutional, in order to prevent market disruption.