Dear President Biden,
We are deeply concerned by the lack of progress being made by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (the Fed) on the assessment and mitigation of climate risk in the financial system. The Fed has failed to take proactive measures to address the risks that banks and the financial system face from climate change. This must change.
AFREF and 6 organizations sent a letter to the Federal Reserve Board expressing support for the development of the FedNow Service, the FRB’s real time payments system, and urging the Fed to build sufficient consumer protections into the system so that consumers and small businesses can safely use the system.
AFREF joined our colleagues in sending a letter to the Federal Reserve urging the inclusion of essential consumer protections in the rules and design of the FedNow service, the Federal Reserve’s real time payment system.
AFREF joined several other civil rights, consumer advocacy and housing organizations in sending a letter a comment letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”) in response to their request for comment on their Policy Statement on Fair Lending (“Policy Statement”). The letter emphasizes that FHFA’s fair lending oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac must ensure access to mortgage credit on fair terms for all creditworthy borrowers, regardless of their race, gender, national origin, disability, familial status, or other protected characteristics, which is essential to closing the homeownership and wealth gaps created by exclusionary federal housing policies and ongoing discrimination in the housing marketplace.
AFREF joined a letter to FHFA urging the Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) to amend the COVID-19 payment deferral and Flex Modification for COVID-19 impacted borrowers to allow deferral and capitalization of escrow shortages.
AFREF joined a letter to the Education Department recommending protocols for the upcoming negotiated rulemaking.
AFREF joined a letter in support of HUD’s Proposed Rule to reinstate the discriminatory effects standard.
AFREF and 37 organizations sent a letter in support of HUD’s Proposed Rule to reinstate the discriminatory effects standard.
AFREF joined a letter to comment on HUD’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic through Mortgage Letter 2021-18. The letter calls on HUD to take further steps to ensure that its program operates as intended and that borrowers are able to obtain the relief they need to avoid unnecessary foreclosures.
AFR sent a letter urging President Biden to appoint a new Director for the Office of Financial Research.