SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Answer to tight lending not FHA cutbacks – builders
Apr 10, 2013, 8:55 AM | Updated: Mar 4, 2016, 5:52 am
With tight mortgage lending standards preventing well-qualified homebuyers from obtaining home loans, the National Association of Home Builders is urging lawmakers to proceed in a cautious manner when considering cutbacks to the Federal Housing Administration.
Testifying before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, Kevin Kelly, NAHB first vice chairman, pointed out the vital role that FHA played to help the housing sector emerge from its worst downturn since the Great Depression.
“While there is no doubt that the housing finance system needs to be reformed, the contributions that the FHA made during the economic downturn underscore the need for a government backstop for both the primary and secondary mortgage markets,” said Kelly. “In times of crisis, private sources of mortgage credit have been unable or unwilling to meet housing capital needs.”
Without government support for home purchasing and refinancing, Kelly warned lawmakers that the nation’s mortgage markets “will grind to a halt in times of economic stress and uncertainty.”
In 2006 before the housing downturn hit, FHA’s share of the market was a meager 3 percent as private financial institutions boasted a healthy presence. When the housing downturn hit, there was a role reversal, as private players fled the market and FHA-insured mortgages became the only credit option for first-time home buyers, minorities and those with limited down payment capabilities.
Noting that the Federal Reserve and leading economists have warned that overly restrictive underwriting requirements are preventing creditworthy borrowers from accessing mortgage credit, Kelly called on lawmakers to take a long-term, holistic approach to housing finance reform.
“Changes to FHA’s programs cannot be separated from the larger discussion of reforming the complex housing finance system, including future reforms to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,” Kelly said. “NAHB urges Congress to proceed cautiously and not to significantly alter the role of FHA programs.”
