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Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro touted the Federal Housing Administrations recent improvement on Thursday, saying it was on a trajectory to hit its statutory minimum and had recently seen a "significant uptick in refinancings."
June 11 -
GOP lawmakers on Wednesday harshly criticized the Federal Housing Administration's recent move to lower insurance premiums, saying it violates the law and will be used to entice borrowers into predatory loans.
February 11
WASHINGTON — The financial condition of the Federal Housing Administration’s mortgage insurance fund has improved “significantly” over the past year, Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro predicted late Monday.
HUD has not received the fiscal year 2015 actuarial report from independent auditors yet, but he said he expects the 50-basis point reduction in FHA's annual premium has boosted originations along with the insurance fund's capital reserves.
FHA endorsed more than $200 billion in loans during fiscal 2015, which ended Sept. 30, compared to $134 billion in fiscal 2014.
“We are hoping with the increased volume that the capital reserve ratio has gone up significantly,” Castro said at a housing event Monday evening at George Washington University.
But the HUD secretary indicated he is not considering another premium reduction at this time.
The 2014 actuarial report estimated that FHA’s insurance fund had a capital ratio of 0.4%, well below its 2% statutory minimum capital ratio. Last year, independent actuaries projected that FHA would reach a 1.4% capital ratio in fiscal 2015.
Though there does not appear to be a major push underway for another FHA premium reduction, the November actuarial report could spark more interest if it shows the FHA’s insurance fund is higher than 1.4%.
“As the fund continues to get stronger,” Castro said, it will allow HUD to consider another premium reduction again.
