WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 2, 2009) – The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released a new paper outlining a proposed framework for a refined government role in the secondary mortgage market designed to ensure liquidity for mortgages without presenting unnecessary risks for the taxpayer.  The paper, Recommendations for the Future Government Role in the Core Secondary Mortgage Market, is the result of work by MBA’s Council on Ensuring Mortgage Liquidity, a 23-member task force representing MBA’s diverse membership base.

“It’s now been more than two years since the secondary mortgage market collapsed,” said Michael D. Berman, MBA’s Vice Chairman and Chair of the Council on Ensuring Mortgage Liquidity.  “Rebuilding the secondary market is critical to restoring liquidity and confidence.  The government has an important, limited role to play to ensure a stable flow of funds for mortgages.”

The centerpiece of MBA’s recommendation is the creation of a new line of mortgage-backed securities (MBS).  Each security would have two components – a loan level guarantee provided by privately-owned, government-chartered and regulated mortgage credit-guarantor entity (MCGE) and a security-level, federal government-guaranteed wrap. 

The wrap would be an explicit government guarantee focused on the credit risk of these mortgage securities, similar to that on a Ginnie Mae security.  Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s infrastructure, including their technology, human capital, standard documents and relationships, could be used as the foundation for one or more MCGE.

“Our Council, featuring some of the best minds in our industry, has spent significant time looking at the secondary market – what worked and what didn’t -- and came up with these recommendations,” said John Courson, MBA’s President and CEO.  “While this is not the only viable framework, we believe the recommendations represent a workable approach, balancing the government’s ability to ensure liquidity, with the need to protect taxpayers from the credit and interest rate risk inherent in mortgage finance.”

The government guarantee is not intended to support the entire mortgage market, but only those products needed to keep the secondary market for core mortgage products liquid and functioning even during times of extreme market unrest.   Under MBA’s proposal, the government securitization guarantee would support only “core” mortgage products with well-understood, well-documented risk characteristics.  New products would be proposed by the MCGEs, recommended by the government guarantor and would require approval from a regulator.

For more information on the Council or any of its reports or publications, please visit www.mortgagebankers.org/CEML.

###
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) is the national association representing the real estate finance industry, an industry that employs more than 280,000 people in virtually every community in the country. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the association works to ensure the continued strength of the nation's residential and commercial real estate markets; to expand homeownership and extend access to affordable housing to all Americans. MBA promotes fair and ethical lending practices and fosters professional excellence among real estate finance employees through a wide range of educational programs and a variety of publications. Its membership of over 2,400 companies includes all elements of real estate finance: mortgage companies, mortgage brokers, commercial banks, thrifts, Wall Street conduits, life insurance companies and others in the mortgage lending field. For additional information, visit MBA's Web site:  www.mortgagebankers.org.