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H.R. 1977: FHA Reform Act of 2011

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H.R. 1977: FHA Reform Act of 2011

112th Congress · introduced 2011-05-24 · Housing and Community Development · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2011-05-24 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-35] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

FHA Reform Act of 2011

Plain summary

FHA Reform Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to require specified mortgagees to indemnify HUD for payment of a mortgage insurance claim if the mortgage was not originated or underwritten in accordance with HUD requirements. Authorizes the Secretary to require a mortgagee to indemnify HUD for loss regardless of when an insurance claim is paid if fraud or misrepresentation was involved in connection with the mortgage origination or underwriting. Authorizes the Secretary to terminate approval of a mortgagee to originate or underwrite single family mortgages if the mortgagee's rate of early defaults and claims is excessive. Establishes within the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Risk Management and Regulatory Affairs responsible for all matters relating to managing and mitigating the risk to HUD mortgage insurance funds and for ensuring the performance of HUD-insured mortgages. Abolishes the position of the FHA chief risk officer. Directs the Secretary to review and identify to Congress any mortgagees with a significant or rapid increase in early defaults and claims with respect to all mortgages they have originated on housing located in any particular geographic area or areas. Directs the Secretary to require mortgagees of HUD-insured single-family or multifamily housing to notify HUD if they terminate or discontinue mortgage purchases from another mortgagee based upon any determination, evidence, or report of fraud or material misrepresentation in connection with the origination of such mortgages. Prescribes conditions compelling the Secretary to review and reduce certain cash investment requirements (down payment requirements) binding upon mortgages or mortgagors. Revises eligibility requirements for mortgage insurance, including insurance for a home equity conversion mortgage (reverse mortgage) for elderly homeowners. Revises requirements for early mortgage default and foreclosure information collected by the Secretary for mortgage lender analysis. Authorizes the Secretary to reimburse servicers of certain HUD-insured residential mortgages for the costs of obtaining the services of specified independent third parties, including a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, to make in-person contact, at no charge, with mortgagors whose payments are 60 or more days past due, solely to provide specified information. Directs the Secretary, in providing reimbursements, to give priority to independent third parties serving mortgagors in areas experiencing a mortgage foreclosure rate and unemployment rate higher than the national average. Revises maximum mortgage amount limits for multifamily housing that includes elevator-type structures with sound standards of construction and design. Directs the Secretary to provide refunds of unearned premium charges paid at the time of insurance for mortgage insurance to or on behalf of mortgagors under certain mortgages on one-to-four family dwellings.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

FHA Reform Act of 2011

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-35] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-35] reported raising $1.1 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong112-hr1977 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112