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Other Featured Articles

FACT SHEET: U.S. Treasury Department Office of Public Affairs releases Examples of How the Economic Growth Act of 2008 will Benefit Americans

See how the stimulus package will impact you...

From the Desk of Tom Carmody
Chairman of AHAA

“Housing Hits Trifecta of Bad News”

I certainly am aware that we are the midst of the worst housing situation in America since the early ‘90s, and one that may be the worst since the depression era. USA Today highlighted the problems on the front page of its Money section: high foreclosure rates, falling prices and vacant homes. Miami leads the way in falling prices, Nevada in foreclosures and vacant homes for sale across the nation are 800,000 than would be the case in a normal market. Most every market has suffered, and will continue to do so it seems.

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News

• Government Moves Again to Unclog Credit Lines (AP)
• Fed Orders Emergency Rate Cut of Half Percent
• Stocks Slide Following Paulson Remarks

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Key Issues

What's affecting you: Around the country and in Washington, DC

As a membership based association, AHAA strives to keep our membership informed on issues that affect you and, what is for most of you your single largest financial investment -- your home. As such, we have charged our government affairs staff to bring you the latest news from your local and state governments and Washington, DC. While we hope to monitor issues at all levels, at times that can be extremely difficult, so please feel free to contact our government affairs staff to help them keep informed on housing-related issues that are affecting you and your neighbors.

You Can Make a Difference

Our hope is to affect public policy in favor of homeowners and their communities. Therefore, we will need to ask that you get involved with an ACTION ALERT that might ask you to email or call your representatives to let them know your opinion on a particular matter, specifically matters of importance to homeowners. Nothing speaks louder and is more effective than constituents calling on their representative to voice their opinion.

Below you will see some of the isses that we are focusing on as well as some that we have previously addressed. If there is a particular issue that you would like to keep track of or be notified about, send us a note: memberservices@ahaanow.org.

Click on the issue title to see the full detail of the issue.

• HUD Proposed Rule
  



• DODD, BOND SECURE SENATE APPROVAL FOR FUNDING TO HELP AMERICAN HOMEOWNERS STRUGGLING WITH FORECLOSURE
  

• Dodd Announces Legislation To Protect American Homeownership (September 2007)
  Dodd’s bill will reform subprime lending practices, strengthen borrower protections, restore confidence in markets
  




• Statement on Loss Mitigation Strategies for Servicers of Residential Mortgages (September 2007)
  Federal financial regulatory agencies and the Conference of State Bank Supervisors issued this statement to encourage federally regulated financial institutions and state-supervised entities to identify borrowers and risk of default and be proactive in pursuing appropriate loss mitigation strategies designed to preserve homeownership.
  




• Fact Sheet: New Steps to Help Homeowners Avoid Foreclosure (August 2007)
  President Bush Announces Steps To Help American Families Keep Their Homes And Reform The Mortgage Finance System
  




• Proposed Illustrations of Consumer Information for Subprime Mortgage Lending (August 2007)
  The statement on subprime mortgage lending recommends communications that ensure consumers have clear, balances, and timely information about the relative benefits and risks of certain ARM products.
  




• Summary of S. 1299: Borrower's Protection Act of 2007 (May 2007)
  This bill seeks to regulate mortgage brokers and originators under the Trust in Lending Act by establishing on behalf of consumers a fiduciary duty and other standards of care.
  



• Issues Archive(2005-Present)