CFPB: Reports on the Ability to Repay and Qualified Mortgage Rule and the RESPA Mortgage Servicing Rule

Investor Update
January 11, 2019

Source: CFPB

Today, I am pleased to announce we have published two reports assessing significant CFPB rules: The first assesses the effectiveness of our Ability to Repay and Qualified Mortgage Rule. The second assesses the effectiveness of the Mortgage Servicing Rule we issued under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA).

For each of our significant rules or orders, section 1022(d) of the Dodd-Frank Act requires the Bureau to conduct an assessment addressing, among other relevant factors, the effectiveness of the rule or order in meeting the purposes and objectives of title X of the Dodd-Frank Act and the specific goals stated by the Bureau. Section 1022(d) further provides that an assessment shall reflect available evidence and any data we reasonably may collect. It also requires us to publish a report of that assessment no later than five years after each rule or order’s effective date.

This somewhat unique statutory requirement places a responsibility on the Bureau to take a hard look at each significant rule we issue and evaluate whether the rule is achieving its intended objectives, as well as title X’s purposes and objectives, or whether it is having unintended consequences with respect to those purposes and objectives. I see this as a valuable opportunity to assure that public policy is being pursued in an efficient and effective manner and to facilitate making evidence-based decisions in the future on whether changes are needed.

The Bureau issued the Ability to Repay and Qualified Mortgage Rule in January 2013 to implement provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Those provisions require lenders, before making a residential mortgage loan, to make a reasonable and good faith determination that the consumer has a reasonable ability to repay the loan. The rule took effect in January 2014.

The Bureau also issued the RESPA Mortgage Servicing Rule in January 2013 to implement certain provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act imposing new obligations on mortgage servicers who are generally responsible for billing borrowers for amounts due, collecting payments, disbursing funds, and providing customer service. The rule also added new protections, which the Bureau deemed appropriate or necessary to carry out the consumer protection purposes of RESPA. This rule also took effect in January 2014.

The CFPB’s Office of Research took the lead in conducting our assessments of these rules. Our researchers began work over two years ago in identifying the questions that needed to be asked and in exploring the available data sources to answer those questions. Bureau researchers then developed and solicited public comment on research plans.

The researchers determined that the effects of the rules could be studied to an extent through public and commercially-available data, and, in the case of the Ability to Repay and Qualified Mortgage Rule, with the National Mortgage Database, which the Bureau developed in collaboration with the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The CFPB also obtained a unique dataset comprised of deidentified, loan-level data from a number of servicers for the assessment of the servicing rule and a separate dataset of deidentified application-level data from a number of creditors for the ATR-QM assessment. Our researchers also supplemented those data, including with (among other things) results from a survey conducted by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors; by surveying lenders, housing counselors, and legal aid attorneys; by conducting structured interviews with a number of servicers; and careful review of public comments received in response to Bureau requests for information.

I am confident that these reports provide numerous useful findings and insights for stakeholders, policy makers, and the general public about developments in the mortgage market and the effects of the rules on consumers, creditors and servicers.

The issuance of these reports is not the end of the line for the Bureau. I am committed to assuring that the Bureau uses lessons drawn from the assessments to inform our approach to future assessments and future rulemakings.  We are interested in hearing reactions from stakeholders to the reports’ methodologies, findings, and conclusions. The Bureau anticipates that continued interaction with stakeholders will help inform our future assessments as well as future policy decisions.

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CEO

Alan Jaffa

Alan Jaffa is the Chief Executive Officer for Safeguard Properties, steering the company as the mortgage field services industry leader. He also serves on the board of advisors for SCG Partners, a middle-market private equity fund focused on diversifying and expanding Safeguard Properties’ business model into complimentary markets.

Alan joined Safeguard in 1995, learning the business from the ground up. He was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2002, and was named CEO in May 2010. His hands-on experience has given him unique insights as a leader to innovate, improve and strengthen Safeguard’s processes to assure that the company adheres to the highest standards of quality and customer service.

Under Alan’s leadership, Safeguard has grown significantly with strategies that have included new and expanded services, technology investments that deliver higher quality and greater efficiency to clients, and strategic acquisitions. He takes a team approach to process improvement, involving staff at all levels of the organization to address issues, brainstorm solutions, and identify new and better ways to serve clients.

In 2008, Alan was recognized by Crain’s Cleveland Business in its annual “40-Under-40” profile of young leaders. He also was named a NEO Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award finalist in 2013.

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Esq., General Counsel and EVP

Linda Erkkila

Linda Erkkila is the General Counsel and Executive Vice President for Safeguard Properties, with oversight of legal, human resources, training, and compliance. Linda’s broad scope of oversight covers regulatory issues that impact Safeguard’s operations, risk mitigation, strategic planning, human resources and training initiatives, compliance, insurance, litigation and claims management, and counsel related to mergers, acquisition and joint ventures.

Linda assures that Safeguard’s strategic initiatives align with its resources, leverage opportunities across the company, and contemplate compliance mandates. She has practiced law for 25 years and her experience, both as outside and in-house counsel, covers a wide range of corporate matters, including regulatory disclosure, corporate governance compliance, risk assessment, compensation and benefits, litigation management, and mergers and acquisitions.

Linda earned her JD at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. She holds a degree in economics from Miami University and an MBA. Linda was previously named as both a “Woman of Influence” by HousingWire and as a “Leading Lady” by MReport.

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COO

Michael Greenbaum

Michael Greenbaum is the Chief Operating Officer of Safeguard Properties, where he has played a pivotal role since joining the company in July 2010. Initially brought on as Vice President of REO, Mike’s exceptional leadership and strategic vision quickly propelled him to Vice President of Operations in 2013, and ultimately to COO in 2015. Over his 14-year tenure at Safeguard, Mike has been instrumental in driving change and fostering innovation within the Property Preservation sector, consistently delivering excellence and becoming a trusted partner to clients and investors.

A distinguished graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Mike earned a degree in Quantitative Economics. Following his graduation, he served in the U.S. Army’s Ordnance Branch, where he specialized in supply chain management. Before his tenure at Safeguard, Mike honed his expertise by managing global supply chains for 13 years, leveraging his military and civilian experience to lead with precision and efficacy.

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CFO

Joe Iafigliola

Joe Iafigliola is the Chief Financial Officer for Safeguard Properties. Joe is responsible for the Control, Quality Assurance, Business Development, Marketing, Accounting, and Information Security departments. At the core of his responsibilities is the drive to ensure that Safeguard’s focus remains rooted in Customer Service = Resolution. Through his executive leadership role, he actively supports SGPNOW.com, an on-demand service geared towards real estate and property management professionals as well as individual home owners in need of inspection and property preservation services. Joe is also an integral force behind Compliance Connections, a branch of Safeguard Properties that allows code enforcement professionals to report violations at properties that can then be addressed by the Safeguard vendor network. Compliance Connections also researches and shares vacant property ordinance information with Safeguard clients.

Joe has an MBA from The Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and holds a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University’s Honors Accounting program.

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Business Development

Carrie Tackett

Business Development Safeguard Properties