CHLA Highlights - Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA)

CHLA Highlights - 3rd Quarter 2025

Enactment of Trigger Leads Legislation. CHLA was the first trade group to press for action to restrict trigger leads, in a 2022 a Letter to the CFPB, and CHLA played a critical role in the Senate fixing a flawed House bill that excluded correspondent lenders and GSE cash window sellers (servicing released) from receiving trigger leads.

National Mortgage News: Fair Isaac’s White Paper Makes it Clear it is Raising Prices. Op-Ed by Rob Zimmer continues to press FICO on monopolistic pricing.
Housing Wire: Top 5 IMB Priorities for GSEs in a Post-Conservatorship World. CHLA Op-ed highlights G Fee parity, Robust cash window, no Wall Street bank charters, keeping two GSEs, and bringing down mortgage rates as top priorities for IMBs.

- IMB Sign-On Letter – GSE Conservatorship Exit. CHLA spearheads letter signed by 46 IMBs naming top IMB priorities in a Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac conservatorship exit.
- CHLA Calls on FHA to Insure Loans in Fannie/Freddie Approved Condo Projects. CHLA asks for FHA Condo flexibility as part of any Administration housing emergency.
- CHLA Starker Exchange Initiative: Capital Gains Use for Child Down Payment. Proposal to waive capital gains if child/grandchild uses funds for 1st time home purchase.
- CHLA Letter to FHFA Director Pulte Urging action to Restrain FICO Price Hikes. CHLA letter urges FHFA Director Pulte to take actions to stop more FICO price hikes.

- CHLA Webinar on “The Future of IMBs.” Panelists were Mitch Kiter from Weiner, Brodsky; Meg Burns from Housing Policy Council; and Mike Brown from Xactus.
- DC Member Fly-In. CHLA hosts DC fly-in, offering member meetings with White House staff and officials from FHA, Ginnie Mae, FHFA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac.
- CHLA Roundtable – on (1) down payment options and (2) condos. Panelists included former FHA Commissioner Brian Montgomery, USMI President Seth Appleton, CAI President Dawn Bauman, DCHFA Director Christopher Donald, and Kelly Welch.
- CHLA Webinar on GSE Conservatorship Exit, Part 2. Panelists were Ron Haynie (ICBA), Mike Calhoun (Committee for Responsible Lending), & Rob Zimmer (CHLA).

- Housing Wire: Fannie, Freddie Merger Buzz Draws Mixed Market Response. CHLA is the first trade group to publicly oppose rumored merger of Fannie and Freddie.
- National Mortgage News: CHLA Floats Rewrite of LO Comp Rule. Detailed story on CHLA LO Comp White Paper, calling for end to limits on compensation within firms.

The enacted Tax Bill included a number of priorities CHLA has long advocated for: a big boost in the SALT cap, permanent small business 20% deduction, and MI deductibility.
CFPB announces it won’t enforce its Offender Registry filing requirements for smaller IMBs, long a CFPB priority and a request in CHLA’s February letter to the CFPB.
The House passes the Trigger Lead Bill by unanimous vote. CHLA teed this issue up in a 2022 Letter, and the bill was changed to protect smaller lenders at CHLA’s request.
FHA eliminates cumbersome Reconsideration of Value (ROV) requirements.

The Mortgage Note: “Congress is Putting Trigger Locks on Abusive Mortgage Solicitations.” CHLA op-ed on the importance of the House-passed trigger leads bill.
National Mortgage News: “Condo Rules Need Reform to Keep Homes Affordable”. Kelly Welsh op-ed on the need for condo eligibility transparency and balanced policies.

- DC Fly-In. In early May, CHLA hosted its semi-annual member DC fly-in. The fly-in featured meetings with White House staff & top officials from FHA, Ginnie Mae, FHFA.
- CHLA Webinar on GSE Exit from Conservatorship. This April 3^rd CHLA webinar featured experts from the Realtors, investment firm Graham-Fischer and CHLA.
- Scott Olson on Robbie Chrisman Podcast. Robbie Chrisman’s June 2 Podcast featured an interview with Scott Olson, CHLA’s Executive Director.

- CHLA LO Comp White Paper. This CHLA piece chronicled the history of LO Comp and called on Congress to end restrictions on compensation to loan originator employees.
- CHLA Letter on VASP Program. In April CHLA wrote the Veterans Committee, identifying ways to protect distressed VA loan borrowers, in a cost effective way.
- CHLA Letter to FHFA Director Pulte on FICO Price hikes. CHLA continued its aggressive campaign to call out FICO monopolistic price hikes in a letter to the FHFA.
- CFPB Small IMB Exemption. CHLA took its campaign to Congress, to ask for a small IMB exemption from CFPB supervision comparable to the one small banks already have.
- Relief from State Regulation of AI. In May, CHLA wrote the Senate, asking it to accept the House tax bill provision restricting state regulation of AI for the next decade.

- National Mortgage News: “Lenders Get a Better View of Condo Blacklist But Want More”. Article highlights CHLA efforts to press Fannie, Freddie for more transparency.
- Housing Wire: “FHA Updates Loss Mitigation Waterfall”. Article cites CHLA.

For more CHLA In the News, click here.

- CHLA releases its annual IMB Report, highlighting 2024 advocacy accomplishments, explaining what IMBs are, and laying out CHLA 2025 Policy Initiatives and Priorities.

- CHLA hosts a webinar on the potential exit of Fannie and Freddie from conservatorship, explaining the history of the conservatorship and critical policy options and choices.

- National Mortgage News: Protect FHA and Ginnie Mae. A CHLA Op-Ed makes the case why FHA and Ginnie are vital and should be spared from HUD staffing cuts.
- Housing Wire: The 2024 CHLA Report on IMBs. A CHLA Op-Ed explains why advocacy on behalf of smaller IMBs is critical in the face of sweeping policy changes.

- CHLA Letter to FHFA Director Pulte. A CHLA letter to just confirmed Director Pulte lays out CHLA’s top policy priorities for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: maintaining the GSEs’ footprint; a robust cash window with G Fee parity; completing the replacement of repurchase demands with indemnifications; and reining in runaway FICO price hikes.
- CHLA Letter to CFPB Acting Director Vought. A CHLA letter to CFPB lays out CHLA’s top priorities for CFPB reforms: exempting smaller IMBs from CFPB supervision and enforcement; ending regulation by enforcement; reforming LO Comp; and immediately suspending the CFPB’s court order registry requirements.

- Scotsman Guide: Mortgage Trade Groups Again Push to Ban Trigger Leads. Article highlights CHLA, other groups resuming the push to ban abusive trigger leads.
- National Mortgage News: CFPB Should Use Lighter Touch on IMBs, CHLA Says. Features CHLA’s letter to CFPB arguing for regulatory streamlining for smaller IMBs.

For more CHLA In the News, click here.