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High-ranking finance officials from 27 states recently expressed their disapproval of President Biden’s mortgage policy, which they perceive as ‘unconscionable’. They warned that this policy, which targets individuals with good credit scores to subsidize loans for higher-risk borrowers, could prove disastrous. The policy was introduced by the Federal Housing Agency (FHA) a few weeks ago and is set to take effect today. It aims to assist lower-income borrowers with their monthly mortgage payments by forcing those with good credit scores to pay more for their mortgages each month, with these additional funds being credited to the loans of higher-risk borrowers.
The contentious policy has faced criticism from both Republican and Democratic officials, including a former Federal Housing Administrator under President Obama. On Monday, financial officers from 27 states declared that the faults in the policy were evident even before its implementation.
The finance officials, led by Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity, penned a letter to President Biden and FHA Director Sandra Thompson, expressing their concerns over the policy. They stated, ‘It is already clear that this new policy will be a disaster. It amounts to a middle-class tax hike that will unfairly cost American families millions upon millions of dollars. And – at a time when the real estate market has already slowed considerably due to high interest rates – it will further depress home sales.’
The state finance officers urged the Biden administration to terminate this unjust policy, as it upends the conventional system of home buying incentives, hurting individuals who make sound financial choices.
According to the letter, the policy would penalize individuals who played by the rules, saved for a strong down payment, and maintained a good credit score, which includes millions of diligent, middle-class Americans. Moreover, those who make a down payment of 20 percent or more on their homes will be subjected to the highest fees, creating a counterintuitive incentive.
The letter highlighted how these forced additional payments would be used to offer better mortgage rates to people with lower credit ratings. Critics argue that the policy would make it easier for those with unstable credit histories to afford costlier mortgages, putting more people in financial jeopardy.
While the state officials recognized the importance of expanding homeownership, they emphasized that the forced subsidization of risky loans was not an appropriate method to achieve this goal.
In their letter, they maintained that the right way to address the issue isn’t through the federal government’s penalization of hardworking, middle-class American families by confiscating their money and using it as a handout. Instead, the focus should be on implementing policies that reduce inflation, cut energy costs, and promote lower interest rates.
Signatories of the letter included not only treasurers, but also auditors, commissioners of revenue, and other top officials from various states, demonstrating the wide range of officials who share these concerns.
Among the states represented in the letter were Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
The coalition of state finance officials speaking out against the policy reflects the growing concern about the potential negative effects it could have on the housing market and the overall economy.
With both Republicans and Democrats expressing their disapproval, it is clear that this issue transcends party lines, highlighting the need for a more equitable solution to aid lower-income borrowers without penalizing those who have made responsible financial decisions.
The immediate call to action in the letter demonstrates the urgency these officials feel regarding the potential consequences of the policy, as the real estate market already grapples with a slowdown attributed to high interest rates.
The message sent to President Biden and FHA Director Sandra Thompson concerning this policy underscores the need for the federal government to reassess its approach in order to address the crucial issue of expanding homeownership without causing undue harm to hardworking Americans.
As these state officials request immediate action from the Biden administration to halt this questionable policy, it remains to be seen if their concerns will be acknowledged and if alternative, more equitable solutions will be considered to help both lower-income borrowers and those with good credit scores.
