We performed an audit of loan servicers’ compliance with the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) requirements for providing loss mitigation assistance to borrowers after their COVID-19 forbearance ended.  We initiated the audit based on the large number of borrowers exiting forbearance, because the loss mitigation programs available to these borrowers were new and created a risk for both borrowers and the FHA insurance fund...

We audited Nationstar Mortgage, LLC’s (doing business as Mr. Cooper (Nationstar)) compliance with the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) requirements for providing loss mitigation assistance to borrowers after their COVID-19 forbearance ended. We concurrently conducted a nationwide audit of servicers’ compliance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) COVID-19 loss mitigation requirements (HUD Office of...

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) temporary policy for endorsement of loans with COVID-19 forbearance activity because an analysis of data in HUD’s systems showed that there may have been loans that did not comply with the policy’s requirements.  The policy was one aspect of HUD’s broader emergency response to COVID-19, which also included an eviction moratorium and loan forbearance for...

HUD OIG is auditing a California-based mortgage lender that services FHA single-family loans. Servicers initiate foreclosure when defaulted borrowers cannot or will not resume and complete their mortgage payments. Our objective is to determine whether the servicer (1) established that borrowers were ineligible for loss mitigation assistance before commencing foreclosure, and (2) reviewed requests received during foreclosure before...

HUD OIG is auditing an Oklahoma-based mortgage lender that services FHA single-family loans. Servicers initiate foreclosure when defaulted borrowers cannot or will not resume and complete their mortgage payments. Our objective is to determine whether the servicer (1) established that borrowers were ineligible for loss mitigation assistance before commencing foreclosure, and (2) reviewed requests received during foreclosure before...

HUD OIG is conducting an audit of HUD's Office of Single Family Housing's oversight of the COVID-19 foreclosure moratorium. Using a moratorium beginning March 18, 2020 through July 31, 2021, Section 4022 of the CARES Act temporarily prohibited foreclosures, with the exception of vacant or abandoned homes. Our audit objective is to determine if servicers followed the requirements of the COVID-19 pandemic foreclosure moratorium.

HUD OIG is auditing the Office of Asset Sales' HUD-Held Vacant Loan Sale (HVLS) program, which is another disposition option for defaulted FHA notes HUD uses to reduce losses and improve recoveries for FHA’s Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund. In the HLVS 2022-2 part 1 sale, 703 loans were awarded to qualified mission-driven entities, representing $105.1 million in unpaid principal balance. The audit objective is to assess the extent to...

HUD OIG is auditing a California-based grantee's Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG-CV) program. The CARES Act provided nearly $4 billion in special ESG funds to grantees to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic and supports activities, such as, rapid re-housing, homelessness prevention programs, and emergency shelters for people experiencing homelessness...

HUD OIG is conducting a review of a California-based mortgage lender that originates and underwrites FHA single-family loans. Our objective is to evaluate the lender’s quality control program for originating and underwriting loans.

HUD OIG is conducting a review of a Missouri-based mortgage lender that originates and underwrites FHA single-family loans. Our objective is to evaluate the lender’s quality control program for originating and underwriting loans.

HUD OIG is conducting a review of an Illinois-based mortgage lender that originates and underwrites FHA single-family loans. Our objective is to evaluate the lender’s quality control program for originating and underwriting loans.

HUD OIG is conducting a review of a California-based mortgage lender that originates and underwrites FHA single-family loans. Our objective is to evaluate the lender’s quality control program for originating and underwriting loans.

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) efforts to proactively communicate information related to the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) to homeowners with Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured mortgages.  We initiated this work based on a U.S. Government Accountability Office report that identified helping borrowers understand the protections available to them as a key challenge and...

HUD OIG is auditing the Office of Single Family Housing's FHA appraiser roster, which is the list of individuals approved to conduct valuations for FHA-insured properties. HUD’s appraiser roster is the foundation for these valuations and consists of approximately 40,000 different appraiser IDs. The audit objective is to determine whether the appraiser roster is accurate and contains only eligible appraisers.  

HUD OIG is auditing the Office of Single Family Housing Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Resource Center.  The FHA Resource Center is a valuable and useful tool for consumers that provides answers to consumers' questions or concerns on a variety of topics, including housing discrimination.  Our objective is to assess whether the FHA Resource Center appropriately rerouted inquiries related to housing discrimination,...

Develop a control to detect loans that did not maintain the required flood insurance to put $1.5 billion to better use by avoiding potential future costs to the FHA insurance fund from inadequately insured properties. Corrective Action Taken In November 2022, FHA published the Acceptance of Private Flood Insurance for FHA-Insured Mortgages final rule (Docket No. FR-6084-F-02) in the Federal Register and issued Mortgagee Letter 2022...

HUD OIG is conducting a review of a nationwide mortgage servicing company that provides servicing and origination for FHA loans. In the summer of 2021, FHA introduced new recovery loss mitigation options for borrowers exiting forbearance, which will provide a path to deep and sustained recovery for borrowers who were significantly impacted by the pandemic by reinstating their loans from a delinquent to current status. Our objective is...

HUD OIG is conducting an audit of COVID-19 loss mitigation. In the summer of 2021, FHA introduced new recovery loss mitigation options for borrowers exiting forbearance, which will provide a path to deep and sustained recovery for borrowers who were significantly impacted by the pandemic by reinstating their loans from a delinquent to current status. Our audit objective is to determine if delinquent borrowers of FHA-insured loans...

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) oversight of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) refunds based on a hotline complaint alleging that HUD was trying to make it difficult for claimants to obtain refunds or discourage them from pursuing the refunds, which are due to eligible homeowners from the unearned portion of the upfront mortgage insurance premium paid.  Our audit found the allegations...

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), completed an audit to determine whether FHA-insured borrowers properly received the COVID-19-related forbearance.  The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), signed into law on March 27, 2020, provided a mortgage payment forbearance option for all borrowers who suffered a financial hardship due to the COVID-19...