Sounding like a candidate, the CFPB Director noted: “If we do not push back on the forces that press people down, we are allowing America’s promises to go unfulfilled.”

Groups signing the Patenaude letter include the Center for Responsible Lending, Community Mortgage Lenders of America, NAACP, NAR and many others…

Brian Benjamin, who runs Two River Mortgage & Investment in Red Bank, NJ, noted that if brokerage shops are laying off, “it’s support staff.”

CFPB's Cordray clerked for both Robert Bork and Anthony Kennedy...

Several mortgagee letters issued this week may have lifted the Department of Housing and Urban Development out of the doldrums, though that can quickly change if key staff positions remain vacant for a longer period, according to industry observers. Observers say problems might arise, as two key staff positions that are crucial to the implementation and enforcement of any HUD rule remain vacant. The Trump administration’s proposed deep cuts to HUD’s FY 2018 spending bill and Republican opposition to HUD’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule reportedly have put a crimp on the nominations for the department’s top staff positions, observers said. Confirmations of Pamela Pantenaude as HUD deputy secretary and J. Paul Compton as HUD general counsel appear stalled on the Senate floor. The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs approved ...

Ginnie Mae Spokesperson Leaves Agency. Cynthia Adcock, director of communications and congressional relations at Ginnie Mae, will no longer be with the agency effective Sept. 4, 2017. Adcock will assume similar duties and responsibilities as a director with the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Michael Huff will handle media inquiries related to Ginnie Mae and congressional matters. FHA Lenders Settle Alleged Violations of FCA, FHA Requirements. The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of the Inspector General recently announced receipt of $44.3 million from separate settlements with two FHA lenders. The settlements resolve allegations of fraudulent claims and violation of FHA requirements against Financial Freedom of Austin, TX, and Prospect Mortgage of Sherman, Oaks, CA. On May 16, 2017, Financial Freedom, an FHA servicer, agreed to pay the ...

In a blog posting midweek, attorney Barbara Mishkin of Ballard Spahr says it appears Cordray will not resign before Labor Day…

The Fed just greenlighted a bank M&A deal...

Earlier this month, nonprime lender Citadel Servicing Corp., Irvine, CA, launched a one-month bank-statement program for self-employed borrowers.

Late last year, IBM bought Ludwig’s Promontory Financial Services advisory firm, but the former OCC chief kept two divisions: Promontory MortgagePath LLC and Promontory Interfinancial.