The
Housing Stimulus Bill Passes
July 30,2008
The bill
includes the following provisions:
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- GSE Reform – including a strong independent regulator, and permanent
conforming loan limits up to the greater of $417,000 or 115% local area
median home price, capped at $625,500. The effective date for reforms is
immediate upon enactment, but the loan limits will not go into effect until
the expiration of the Economic Stimulus limits (December 31, 2008).
- FHA Reform – including permanent FHA loan limits at the greater of
$271,050 or 115% of local area median home price, capped at $625,500;
streamlined processing for FHA condos; reforms to the HECM program, and
reforms to the FHA manufactured housing program. The downpayment requirement
on FHA loans will go up to 3.5% (from 3%). The effective date for reforms is
immediate upon enactment, but the loan limits will not go into effect until
the expiration of the Economic Stimulus limits (December 31, 2008).
- Homebuyer Tax Credit - a $7500 tax credit that would be would be
available for any qualified purchase between April 8, 2008 and June 30,
2009. The credit is repayable over 15 years (making it, in effect, an
interest free loan).
- FHA foreclosure rescue – development of a refinance program for
homebuyers with problematic subprime loans. Lenders would write down
qualified mortgages to 85% of the current appraised value and qualified
borrowers would get a new FHA 30-year fixed mortgage at 90% of appraised
value. Borrowers would have to share 50% of all future appreciation with
FHA. The loan limit for this program is $550,440 nationwide. Program is
effective on October 1, 2008.
- Seller-funded downpayment assistance programs – codifies existing FHA
proposal to prohibit the use of downpayment assistance programs funded by
those who have a financial interest in the sale; does not prohibit other
assistance programs provided by nonprofits funded by other sources,
churches, employers, or family members. This prohibition does not go into
effect until October 1, 2008.
- VA loan limits – temporarily increases the VA home loan guarantee loan
limits to the same level as the Economic Stimulus limits through December
31, 2008.
- Risk-based pricing – puts a moratorium on FHA using risk-based pricing
for one year. This provision is effective from October 1, 2008 through
September 30, 2009.
- GSE Stabilization – includes language proposed by the Treasury
Department to authorize Treasury to make loans to and buy stock from the
GSEs to make sure that Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae could not fail.
- Mortgage Revenue Bond Authority – authorizes $10 billion in mortgage
revenue bonds for refinancing subprime mortgages.
- National Affordable Housing Trust Fund – Develops a Trust Fund funded by
a percentage of profits from the GSEs. In its first years, the Trust Fund
would cover costs of any defaulted loans in FHA foreclosure program. In out
years, the Trust Fund would be used for the development of affordable
housing.
- CDBG Funding – Provides $4 billion in neighborhood revitalization funds
for communities to purchase foreclosed homes.
- LIHTC – Modernizes the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program to make it
more efficient.
- Loan Originator Requirements – Strengthens the existing state-run
nationwide mortgage originator licensing and registration system (and
requires a parallel HUD system for states that fail to participate). Federal
bank regulators will establish a parallel registration system for
FDIC-insured banks. The purpose is to prevent fraud and require minimum
licensing and education requirements. The bill exempts those who only
perform real estate brokerage activities and are licensed or registered by a
state, unless they are compensated by a lender, mortgage broker, or other
loan originator.
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