Center for American Progress

Risk Retention Is Only One Part of Needed Housing Finance Reform
In the News

Risk Retention Is Only One Part of Needed Housing Finance Reform

Michael Barr discusses the importance of risk retention rules in housing finance reform.

The risk retention standards under the Dodd-Frank Act being voted on this week by federal regulators are an important part of revitalizing our housing finance system, but they will only work well if we get the rest of housing finance reform right.

The securitization market blew itself up during the financial crisis and it won’t be rebuilt until investors can have confidence that securitization sponsors’ interests are better aligned with their own. The risk retention standards, which require securitization sponsors to retain a 5 percent interest in the loans they securitize and to hold capital adequate to cover that risk, will help to do that, as will rules on transparency being promulgated by the SEC under the Dodd-Frank Act.

The above excerpt was originally published in CNBC. Click here to view the full article.

The positions of American Progress, and our policy experts, are independent, and the findings and conclusions presented are those of American Progress alone. A full list of supporters is available here. American Progress would like to acknowledge the many generous supporters who make our work possible.

Authors

Michael Barr

Senior Fellow