FEMA Declared Disaster Michigan

FEMA Alert
July 9, 2020

FEMA issued a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for areas in Michigan affected by severe storms, and flooding that took place May 16-22, 2020.

The following counties are eligible for assistance:

Individual/Public Assistance

  • Arenac
  • Gladwin
  • Iosco
  • Midland
  • Saginaw

Michigan Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding (DR-4547)

FEMA Declared Disaster Michigan: ZIP Code List


Additional Resources

FEMA’s web site

FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process

Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts

HUD Moratorium on Foreclosure

VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters

Freddie Mac Disaster Relief Policies

Fannie Mae’s Natural Disaster Relief Policies

FEMA Declared Disaster Tennessee

FEMA Alert
July 9, 2020

FEMA issued a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for areas in Tennessee affected by severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding that took place May 3-4, 2020.

The following counties are eligible for assistance:

Public Assistance

  • Benton
  • Carroll
  • Davidson
  • Decatur
  • Dickson
  • Dyer
  • Hardin
  • Henderson
  • Henry
  • Hickman
  • Houston
  • Humphreys
  • Lake
  • Lawrence
  • Lewis
  • Madison
  • Maury
  • Obion
  • Perry
  • Weakley

Tennessee Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding (DR-4550)

FEMA Declared Disaster Tennessee: ZIP Code List


Additional Resources

FEMA’s web site

FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process

Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts

HUD Moratorium on Foreclosure

VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters

Freddie Mac Disaster Relief Policies

Fannie Mae’s Natural Disaster Relief Policies

FEMA Declared Disaster Hawaii

FEMA Alert
July 9, 2020

FEMA issued a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for areas in Hawaii affected by severe storms and flooding that took place March 27-28, 2020.

The following county is eligible for assistance:

Public Assistance

  • Kauai

Hawaii Severe Storms and Flooding (DR-4549)

FEMA Declared Disaster Hawaii: ZIP Code List


Additional Resources

FEMA’s web site

FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process

Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts

HUD Moratorium on Foreclosure

VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters

Freddie Mac Disaster Relief Policies

Fannie Mae’s Natural Disaster Relief Policies

Tropical Storm Fay Hitting East Coast with Heavy Rain

Updated 7/11/20: The Weather Channel published a report providing the latest updates on Tropical Storm Fay, which has diminished into a post-tropical low and is moving north toward Canada.

Tropical Storm Fay Flooded Streets, Knocked Down Trees

Additional Resources:

NJ.com (Tropical Storm Fay has dumped a month of rain in some N.J. towns)
Newsday (Long Island weather: Tropical Storm Fay brings gusty winds, downpours)

Highlighted Rain Totals:

Maryland
– Ocean City (Worcester County): 5.5 inches

New Jersey
– Franklin Township (Somerset County): 5.28 inches
– Margate (Atlantic County): 5.50 inches
– Mullica Hill (Gloucester County): 5.84 inches
– South Harrison (Gloucester County): 6.17 inches

 

Disaster Alert
July 10, 2020

Source: CBS News

Additional Resource:

The Weather Channel (Tropical Storm Fay, Record Earliest ‘F’ Storm, Producing Flooding Rain in Parts of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland)

NOTE: This has not yet been declared a FEMA Major Disaster.

The sixth named system of the young Atlantic hurricane season formed Thursday afternoon just east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Tropical Storm Fay breaks the record for earliest sixth named storm in the Atlantic basin by almost two weeks.

The biggest impact will be very heavy rainfall moving northward through Friday night along the East Coast from Virginia to New England.

Tropical storm warnings have been issued for coastal New Jersey, New York City, Long Island and Connecticut. Flood watches have also been posted up and down the coast from Virginia to Massachusetts.

For full report, please click the source link above.

Large Tornado Damages Multiple Minnesota Farmsteads

Disaster Alert
July 9, 2020

Source: The Weather Channel

Approximate locations (according to media outlets) sustaining structural damage:

Minnesota
– Dalton (Otter Tail County, 56324)

NOTE: This has not yet been declared a FEMA Major Disaster.

At a Glance

  • A deadly tornado hit northwest Minnesota late Wednesday

The tornado hit near Dalton, Minnesota, in southeastern Otter Tail County between 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. CDT. It moved through mostly open farmland, but three farmsteads suffered significant damage, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

In the Dalton area, the damage ranged from downed trees and power lines to destroyed roofs and even a car thrown into a home’s basement, KVRR.com reported.

For full report, please click the source link above.

CFPB: Director Kraninger Announces Deputy Director; Additions to Executive Team

Industry Update
July 7, 2020

Source: CFPB

Washington, D.C. — Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Kathleen L. Kraninger today announced that Thomas Pahl will serve as the Deputy Director of the Bureau. Pahl has served as Policy Associate Director for Research, Markets, and Regulations since April 2018. Previously, Pahl was the Acting Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission.

“Tom is a committed public servant who has dedicated his career to protecting consumers in the financial marketplace. His wealth of experience on consumer protection issues will enable him to provide valuable insights on achieving our mission and preventing consumer harm,” said CFPB Director Kraninger. “I look forward to his continued contributions and leadership.”

From 2013–2016, Tom served as Managing Counsel for the Office of Regulations at the CFPB. He has also held previous roles at the FTC focused on enforcement, rulemaking, and policy on financial services matters, including Assistant Director of the Division of Financial Practices. Pahl received his BA from the College of St. Thomas and his JD from Northwestern University School of Law.

Director Kraninger also announced the leadership for the newly created Consumer Education and External Affairs (CEEA) Division. CEEA will focus on a more coordinated and Bureau-wide approach to engagement and communication with consumers, policymakers, academics, and other stakeholders.

Delicia Reynolds Hand will serve as Deputy Associate Director for the Consumer Education and External Affairs Division. Ms. Hand joined the Bureau in 2012 and has over 20 years of experience, having worked in consumer advocacy, community and economic development and on Capitol Hill. She received her B.A. from St. Peter’s College and holds a JD from the American University’s Washington College of Law, and M.A. from Cambridge University, U.K.

Desmond Brown will serve as the Assistant Director for the Office of Consumer Education. Mr. Brown has more than two decades of experience working with national and local organizations to increase financial well-being and economic opportunities for consumers. He first joined the Bureau as a program specialist for the Office of Financial Empowerment in 2012. He earned his Masters of Policy Management from Georgetown University, and his B.S. in Political Science from Southern Connecticut State University.

Matt Cameron will serve as Assistant Director for the Office of Stakeholder Management. Mr. Cameron has served at the Bureau since 2012, most recently as the Staff Director for the Advisory Board and Councils Office. He has more than a decade in public service having worked prior in the United States Congress. Mr. Cameron earned his Master’s Degree in Political Management from The George Washington University and his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from California State University Channel Islands.

In addition to the Offices of Consumer Education and Stakeholder Management, the division will include the newly formed Office of Public Affairs, which will be led by Marisol Garibay, and the Office of Consumer Response, which will be led by Christopher Johnson. The CEEA division will be led by Policy Associate Director Andrew Duke.

HUD: FHA INFO #20-47: Enhancements to FHA’s Claims Without Conveyance of Title (CWCOT) Procedures

Investor Update
July 7, 2020 

Source: HUD

Today, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) published Mortgagee Letter (ML) 2020-21, Enhancements to FHA’s Claims Without Conveyance of Title (CWCOT) Procedures. The guidance in this ML enhances FHA’s CWCOT procedures by:

• allowing a second appraisal upon vacancy for a property that had an exterior-only appraisal, where an interior appraisal could not be obtained;

• allowing mortgagees to submit eviction costs and certain eligible property preservation expenses incurred during post- foreclosure sales opportunities;

• updating the policy and allowable fee structure related to independent third-party providers that conduct foreclosure sales or post-foreclosure sales efforts under CWCOT procedures; and

• regularly updating discounts in FHA Connection (FHAC) and changing to tier-based pricing factors based on a property’s location, occupancy status, and appraised value. After the property’s appraised value has been established and the Commissioner’s Adjusted Fair Market Value (CAFMV) has been determined, authorized mortgagees may access the CAFMV via the link in FHAC at: https://entp.hud.gov/clas/index.cfm.

Originally piloted in 2013, CWCOT is an FHA claim option through which insurance benefits are paid to a mortgagee after the sale of the property to a third-party purchaser at foreclosure of the FHA-insured mortgage or through post-foreclosure sales efforts. This means there is no conveyance of the property to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in exchange for payment of the mortgage insurance benefit.

The enhancements announced in ML 2020-21 take into consideration the public feedback received earlier this year when the draft Mortgagee Letter was posted on the Single Family Housing Drafting Table. These enhancements make FHA’s CWCOT program more viable for foreclosure sales associated with defaulted FHA-insured mortgages.

Quick Links
• View Mortgagee Letter 2020-21 and all other archived Mortgagee Letters at:
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/administration/hudclips/letters/mortgagee

Resources
Contact the FHA Resource Center:
• Visit our online knowledge base to obtain answers to frequently asked questions 24/7 at: www.hud.gov/answers.
• E-mail the FHA Resource Center at: answers@hud.gov. Emails and phone messages will be responded to during normal hours of operation, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Eastern), Monday through Friday on all non-Federal holidays.
• Call 1-800-CALLFHA (1-800-225-5342). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may reach this number by calling the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

Supreme Court Rules on TCPA, Robocalls

Industry Update
July 6, 2020

Source: DS News

Additional Resource:

U.S. Supreme Court No. 19-631

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday that it has invalidated a 2015 amendment from the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), and ruled Congress “impermissibly favored” debt-collection speech over political speech—violating the First Amendment.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that while Americans disagree about many things, they are “largely united in their disdain for robocalls.”

Justice Kavanaugh added that the Federal Government received 3.7 million complaints regarding robocalls in 2019.

The TCPA was initially passed in 1991, which prohibited robocalls to cell phones and home phones. However, a 2015 amendment to the TCPA allowed robocalls that are made to collect debts owed to or guaranteed by the federal government, such as mortgage debts.

For full article, please click the source link above

High Tide Floods Southern California Coast

Disaster Alert
July 4, 2020

Source: The Weather Channel

Additional Resources:

Approximate locations sustaining home flooding

California
Newport Beach Balboa Peninsula (Orange County, 92661)

NOTE: This has not yet been declared a FEMA Major Disaster.

At a Glance

  • A 40-foot sailboat was destroyed.
  • Possible damage to houses was being assessed.
  • Lifeguards conducted ocean rescues.

Newport Beach, California, was cleaning up Saturday after flooding caused by coastal tides and high surf covered beaches and roads with water.

The flooding sent ocean water into streets Friday night and destroyed a 40-foot sailboat, KSWB-TV reported.

Traffic leaving the Balboa Peninsula was backed up for hours at the start of the holiday weekend.

The city was assessing possible damage to homes.

“I think it’s safe to say there has been some property damage, we don’t know the full extent,” Newport Beach city spokesperson John Pope told the Orange County Register. “The city is still assessing some of the damage. There’s sand and trash just littered everywhere.”

For full report, please click the source link above.

MHA: HAMP Update: System Availability – July 3, 2020

Investor Update
June 30, 2020

Source: MHA

The HAMP Reporting System will be available for processing files on July 3, 2020. Please refer to the 2020 Operational Reporting Calendar to determine specific reporting dates for each month.

https://www.hmpadmin.com/portal/programs/docs/hamp_servicer/2020_HAMP_Operational_Reporting_Calendar.pdf

Please contact the HAMP Solution Center at support@hmpadmin.com with any questions.