The MRB rules on cases against FHA-approved lenders in which there is evidence of serious violations relating to loan origination, servicing activity, and failure to comply with FHA operational guidelines. When the MRB learns that a lender may not be in compliance with FHA requirements, it may take administrative actions to resolve problems with lenders. It does not consider “loss to the government” in these actions. Administrative actions may include notices of violation, civil monetary penalties, withdrawals and suspensions, and settlement agreements.

The MRB regularly takes administrative actions on FHA-approved single-family lenders but does not hear many larger multifamily cases. For fiscal years 2014, 2015, and 2016, the MRB issued 436 administrative actions and 56 civil monetary penalties, withdrawals of FHA approval, suspensions, probations, reprimands, administrative payments, and settlements. The value of the MRB decisions totaled approximately $1.96 billion.

The MRB has also taken steps to improve since our last evaluation. Specifically, it has increased the consistency of penalties given to lenders for similar violations, it has met the requirement to publish each administrative action in the Federal Register, and it has resolved a longstanding backlog of cases.

This report contains two findings and no recommendations.