The bureau announced changes to examiners’ procedures, saying it will now scrutinize all covered markets for discriminatory practices under the “unfairness” standards.
Industry stakeholders have raised concerns that the use of qualitative factors and examiner judgment in evaluation of CRA-related activities can lead to inconsistent interpretations of the law.
The DOJ is self-referring investigations and scrutinizing lenders’ HMDA loan application register data for redlining practices, according to industry attorneys.
In recent television appearances, the CFPB director was asked about a grab bag of issues, including auto lending, student loans, credit cards, cryptocurrencies and buy now, pay later products.
The request comes in the wake of a media report that, of all large lenders, Wells Fargo had the biggest disparity between Black and white homeowners in refinancing approval rates.
Compared to fiscal year 2020, complaint investigations have returned to and even improved previous processing times. But the number of complaints appears to be reversing a general downward trend.
For its part, the CFPB said it will take an “active leadership role” on the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s Appraisal Subcommittee.
Millennials who remain thwarted from purchasing primary residences in expensive urban markets are turning to vacation homes to build home equity. Meanwhile, signs point to an overall slowdown in demand for such properties.