Working Paper Quantifying the Tightness of Mortgage Credit and Assessing Policy Actions
Laurie Goodman
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In this paper, Dr. Goodman explains how she has determined that access to mortgages is extraordinarily tight and then evaluates the policy actions taken to date by regulators to ease mortgage access. She concludes that the actions taken by the government-sponsored enterprises have been much more successful than those taken by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). Dr. Goodman explains that if we don’t expand access to FHA loans, we will have a much lower percentage of homeowners in the future and, ultimately, greater economic inequality.

Research and Evidence Housing and Communities Family and Financial Well-Being Tax and Income Supports Race and Equity
Expertise Social Safety Net Wealth and Financial Well-Being Families Housing Finance
Tags Asset and debts Racial and ethnic disparities Single-family finance Financial products and services Finance Racial barriers to accessing the safety net Family credit and debt