USMI applauds the Senate for its confirmation of Pam Patenaude to be Deputy Secretary of HUD. As a longtime public servant and expert in the housing finance system, Deputy Secretary Patenaude fully understands the need for a coordinated, consistent, and transparent approach to federal housing policy across government channels.
Owning your own home comes with many advantages, including escaping rising rents and the personal and financial stability associated with homeownership. Fortunately, millions of Americans, with less than 20 percent down, have been able to buy a home sooner thanks to mortgage insurance.
For 60 years, private mortgage insurance (MI) has helped more than 25 million families become successful homeowners. To commemorate this milestone, the Urban Institute examined the industry’s history and the positive role MI has served for homebuyers and the mortgage finance system overall.
Private mortgage insurance is a 60-year old bedrock of the housing system that for decades has helped low down payment borrowers qualify for mortgage financing—more than 25 million borrowers to date—and has provided critical credit risk protection to the government and taxpayers through numerous housing cycles.
USMI released a paper assessing housing finance reform proposals announced by housing institutions and organizations, the Senate Banking Committee held a hearing on housing finance reform, Genworth Financial introduced its first-ever First-Time Homebuyer Market Report, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) submitted its 2016 annual report to Congress, and American Action Forum (AAF) commented on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s (the GSEs) increasingly risky credit portfolios while calling for greater usage of private mortgage insurance (MI).
