FHFA Incredibly Slow in Releasing GSE SF Loan Level Data for 2008 and 2009.

HMDA data for 2008 was released (PR HERE) by the FFEIC in September 2009, one of the slowest releases of that data for  years.

However, FHFA, the agency charged with regulating Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, is making FFIEC look like speed demons. 

FHFA took over responsibility from HUD for releasing GSE SF loan level data for the GSE's for 2008 and later years. (Like HMDA, GSE loan level SF data is available down to the census tract level, AND includes not only minority household status but also first time home buyer status [which HMDA does not include].

As of July 2010, 19 months after the end of CY 2008, FHFA has still not released 2008 loan level GSE SF loan level data. 

Further, email correspondence with FHFA indicates that 2008 GSE loan level data may not be released until September at the earliest---21 months after the end of the calendar year AND around the time I would expect that 2009 HMDA data will be released by FFIEC (I.E., FHFA GSE data will be a year behind the already slow HMDA data).

Editorial comment: With loan volumes at reduced levels, and with public interest in GSE performance at high levels since the public now OWNS the GSE's, it is amazing to me that FHFA has not been held MORE accountable for the timely release of  GSE loan level SF data.(Such a lack of attention to timely release also does not bode well for the two NEW loan level databases that the housing finance reform bill would require; see my prior post HERE).

FHFA's web page for GSE loan level data for 2008 and later years is HERE; HUD's web page for ordering 2007 data is HERE.

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.