Housing
More on Housing
The amount of the settlement — from $5 billion to $20 billion — and how best to use the money are at the center of negotiations
By Jim Puzzanghera and E. Scott Reckard
Federal and state officials are analyzing proposals that could help people who lost their homes or missed mortgage payments as a key part in resolving a multibillion-dollar case over botched foreclosure paperwork.
Government negotiators are wrestling with banks and their mortgage servicing arms over the amount of the settlement — from $5 billion to $20 billion — and then must decide how best to use the money.
by Kerri Panchuk
Regulators may have their hearts set on a $20 billion settlement with mortgage servicers, but that's not enough to make up for the $1 trillion lost in family wealth since 2008, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) said Friday.
Waters issued that statement after reports surfaced that regulators have plans to settle with embattled lenders and servicers for $20 billion. Any money from the proposed settlement would be used to help borrowers who are underwater on their mortgage and to support loan modifications.
By Jennifer Liberto
In the latest blow to Obama signature programs, Republicans are now aiming to kill several White House plans aimed at keeping underwater borrowers in their homes.
By Nick Timiraos
A top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee signaled that the broad outlines of a settlement to resolve mortgage-servicer abuses should push for penalties higher than the reported $20 billion figure.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), a senior member of the Financial Services Committee, issued the following statement today after reports of a deal between the Obama Administration and mortgage servicers to settle systemic fraud issues in the servicing and foreclosure industry:
A top House Republican has announced plans Thursday to begin efforts to dismantle a package of Obama administration programs seeking to help troubled homeowners avoid foreclosure, an effort that is unlikely to become law any time in the near future because of staunch Democratic opposition.
By Phil Mattingly
U.S. House Republicans plan to move forward with bills that would end anti-foreclosure programs put in place by President Barack Obama's administration, saying they are doing more harm than good.
The House Financial Services Committee will consider bills next week to terminate four mortgage assistance programs, including the Treasury Department's Home Affordable Modification Program, or HAMP.
By Erika Lovley
It may be the end of the line for one of the President Barack Obama's key anti-foreclosure programs: the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).
Financial Services Committee Chairman Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) announced today that his committee will hold a subcommittee hearing and full committee markup of four bills that will "terminate failed and ineffective housing foreclosure programs", including HAMP – worth a total of $45 billion.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), a senior member of the Financial Services Committee, released the following statement today after Republicans on the Committee announced their intention to defund foreclosure prevention programs:
"Republicans who support this proposal to end government-supported foreclosure prevention programs are turning their backs on their constituents and their communities who not only have been devastated by the foreclosure crisis, but who have directly benefited from government assistance.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) reintroduced her legislation from the 111th Congress today that would make key investments in affordable public housing. H.R. 762, the Public Housing Reinvestment and Tenant Protection Act of 2011, contains provisions to revitalize housing units and neighborhoods; address one-for-one replacement issues; empower housing authorities to make reforms; and to create jobs, with support from Reps. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), her colleagues on the Financial Services Committee. She issued the following statement: