The Obama administration recently released a set of seven questions for public input on the future of the nation’s housing finance system, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as the overall role of the federal government in housing policy. The administration intends to hold a series of public forums across the country to solicit in-person comments from attendees on housing finance reform. In addition, the public will have the opportunity to submit written responses to the questions published in the Federal Register online at www.regulations.gov.
The seven questions are:
- How should federal housing finance objectives be prioritized in the context of the broader objectives of housing policy?
- What role should the federal government play in supporting a stable, well-functioning housing finance system and what risks, if any, should the federal government bear in meeting its housing finance objectives?
- Should the government approach differ across different segments of the market, and if so, how?
- How should the current organization of the housing finance system be improved?
- How should the housing finance system support sound market practices?
- What is the best way for the housing finance system to help ensure consumers are protected from unfair, abusive or deceptive practices?
- Do housing finance systems in other countries offer insights that can help inform US reform choices?
