In her first long-form interview since taking over as FHFA acting director, Sandra Thompson insisted that expanding the GSEs’ books of business won’t make them riskier.

FHFA announced the suspension of the caps on the GSEs’ purchase of second-home and investor-property mortgages on Sept. 14. By Sept. 15, the price of these loans jumped more than a percentage point.

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-PA, and NAMB President Kimber White each grade the brief performance of FHFA’s acting director.

Freddie’s refinance-based green MBS program leapfrogs past Fannie’s more mature program based on newly built homes. (Includes data chart.)

FHFA’s decision to repropose certain provisions in the capital framework of the GSEs lures Fannie back to the CRT fold.

The mortgage industry’s warnings that the restrictions placed on the GSEs would tighten credit availability for less qualified borrowers were not lost on the Biden administration.

The changes would reduce Fannie’s and Freddie’s capital requirements and increase incentives to issue CRT transactions.

The support of the powerful House Financial Services Committee chair improves the chances that FHFA Acting Director Sandra Thompson’s job becomes permanent. It also casts doubt on the rumored nomination of CRL President Mike Calhoun.

Even though the Supreme Court issued its decision in the Collins case two months ago, lawyers for both the shareholders and the government prepare to make many of the same arguments again before the Fifth Circuit.

The agency will allow the GSEs to boost LIHTC investment by $350 million each and expand the sale of REO properties to owner-occupants and nonprofits.