[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 29, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 37646]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12860]



[[Page 37645]]

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Part III





Department of Housing and Urban Development





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Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA); Simplifying and 
Improving the Process of Obtaining Mortgages To Reduce Settlement Costs 
to Consumers: Notice of Meetings--RESPA Reform Roundtables; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 124 / Wednesday, June 29, 2005 / 
Notices  

[[Page 37646]]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5000-N-01]


Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA); Simplifying and 
Improving the Process of Obtaining Mortgages To Reduce Settlement Costs 
to Consumers: Notice of Meetings--RESPA Reform Roundtables

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing 
Commissioner, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public of three informal meetings 
(roundtables) that HUD intends to hold during the months of July and 
August 2005, at HUD Headquarters with representatives of the industry 
(which includes lenders, mortgage brokers, real estate brokers and 
agents, title companies, appraisers, and other settlement service 
providers), consumers, and other interested parties. During this same 
period, HUD will co-sponsor with the Small Business Administration 
three small business roundtables in the cities of Los Angeles, Chicago, 
and Fort Worth. The purpose of the roundtables is to listen to 
individual views, allow participants to exchange views, and gather 
information on possible changes to HUD's RESPA regulations. HUD has 
announced its commitment to propose changes that will update, simplify, 
and improve the disclosure requirements for mortgage settlement costs 
and help control these costs for consumers.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ivy Jackson, Director, Office of RESPA 
and Interstate Land Sales, Office of Housing, Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 9158, Washington, DC 
20410-8000, telephone (202) 708-0502 (this is not a toll-free number) 
or Paul S. Ceja, Assistant General Counsel for GSE/RESPA, or Rhonda L. 
Daniels, Senior Attorney-Advisor, GSE/RESPA Division, Office of General 
Counsel, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh 
Street, SW., Room 9262, Washington, DC 20410-0500, telephone (202) 708-
3137. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number 
via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 
(800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    HUD published a proposed rule on July 29, 2002 (67 FR 49134), 
entitled ``RESPA: Simplifying and Improving the Process of Obtaining 
Mortgages to Reduce Settlement Costs to Consumers.'' In response to 
considerable public comment from the industry, as well as from 
consumers, other Federal agencies, and members of Congress, the 
Secretary of HUD withdrew this rule in early 2004. With the withdrawal 
of the rule, the Secretary committed HUD to engage in further 
information gathering on obtaining mortgages and settlement costs, and 
outreach to Congress, potentially affected members of the industry, 
consumers, and other Federal agencies before proposing changes to HUD's 
RESPA regulations.

HUD's Outreach Process

    HUD has begun the process of outreach to Congress and other Federal 
agencies, and this notice advises of HUD's outreach to consumers, 
potentially affected members of the industry, and other interested 
parties. Commencing in July 2005, HUD intends to hold three roundtables 
at HUD Headquarters. These roundtables will be held on July 14, July 
28, and August 18, 2005. In an effort to produce a meaningful and 
productive exchange of various and different views on RESPA reform, 
participation in the roundtables is by invitation. In selecting 
participants for the roundtables, HUD strived to achieve a cross-
section of representatives of industry and consumer organizations and 
other interested parties that offered an analysis of HUD's 2002 RESPA 
reform proposals or offered alternative reform proposals for HUD's 
consideration.
    The purpose of the roundtables is to offer a forum for a meaningful 
exchange of views, comments, and suggestions from all the participants. 
HUD is interested in having the participants share not only with HUD, 
but also with the other participants, their individual views about 
possible changes to RESPA regulations arising from HUD's 2002 RESPA 
reform proposals. HUD is also interested in eliciting information about 
changes in the home settlement process that have occurred since HUD 
issued its proposed rule in 2002, and which HUD should consider as it 
develops proposals for RESPA reform.
    Key issues on which HUD intends to elicit the views, comments, 
suggestions, and perspectives of the participants include the 
following:
     What changes, if any, should be made to HUD's Good Faith 
Estimate form to make it more helpful to consumers and the industry?
     How should loan originator compensation be disclosed on 
the Good Faith Estimate?
     What may be the impact on consumers of a mortgage package 
that includes an interest rate guarantee and a fixed price for 
settlement costs?
     How can subpackaging be designed to maximize competition 
without creating undue complexity for consumers?
     Should Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA) 
loans be eligible for packaging?
     Should there be an opportunity to cure and/or provide 
remedies for errors or violations of mortgage packaging or Good Faith 
Estimate requirements?
    In addition to roundtables with industry and consumers, HUD also 
intends to hold, with the assistance of the Small Business 
Administration, three small business roundtables to discuss how small 
businesses may be affected by changes to HUD's RESPA regulations. These 
roundtables will be held on the following dates and at the following 
locations: July 21, 2005, Los Angeles, California; August 4, 2005, 
Chicago, Illinois; and August 11, 2005, Fort Worth, Texas.
    In addition to HUD's outreach to businesses (including small 
businesses), consumers, and other interested members of the public 
through the roundtables, HUD encourages the industry and consumer 
organizations to continue this important dialogue, independent of HUD, 
by holding industry and consumer forums on RESPA reform. HUD believes 
that its effort to determine meaningful RESPA reform proposals will 
benefit from the information and views exchanged not only at HUD-
sponsored meetings on this subject, but also by meetings, roundtables, 
or forums sponsored by industry or consumers.
    The dates and times of HUD's RESPA reform roundtables are posted on 
HUD's Web site at http://www.hud.gov/respareform along with other 
information about the roundtables.

    Dated: June 24, 2005.
Brian D. Montgomery,
Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner.
[FR Doc. 05-12860 Filed 6-28-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-27-P