Attorney General Bondi’s Statement on National Mortgage Settlement Monitor’s Interim Report

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – October 16, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — As part of his ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with the National Mortgage Settlement, National Monitor Joseph A. Smith, Jr. today reported a total of $15.35 billion in consumer relief credits nationally as of Dec. 31, 2012. The reports for Bank of America, ChaseCiti and Wells Fargodemonstrate each bank’s progress toward its total consumer relief obligations. A summary report can be downloaded here, and a fact sheet is available here. The reports were filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

“This audit is critical to ensuring that the banks are honoring their commitment to homeowners under the National Mortgage Settlement,” stated Attorney General Pam Bondi. “My office will continue to ensure the banks’ compliance with the settlement, including meeting the enhanced mortgage servicing standards.”

“The reports I filed today show how much credit the banks have received toward their total consumer relief and refinancing obligations through the end of last year. For that reason, they are different from the gross dollar relief information I have shared in the past. The banks have made significant progress toward satisfaction of their total obligations, providing borrowers across the nation with much needed relief,” stated National Monitor Joseph A. Smith, Jr.

The Monitor reported $38.72 billion in gross dollar amounts provided to borrowers, which differs from the $15.35 billion credited amount certified in these reports. Under the NMS, different types of relief receive different amounts of credit, and much of the relief, including short sales, is not credited dollar for dollar. As a result, the gross dollar amounts are larger than the credited amounts as indicated in the reports.

The servicers’ consumer relief obligations are comprised of the following:
· Consumer relief—such as principal forgiveness and short sale assistance for distressed borrowers who meet the Settlement’s eligibility criteria.

· Refinancing assistance for certain borrowers who are current on their payments but who would not qualify for traditional refinancing because their loan-to-value ratios are too high.

According to the Monitor, the banks’ refinancing progress ranged from nearly halfway to beyond fully complete. For other credited consumer relief, Bank of America is 97 percent, Chase is 76 percent, Citi is 46 percent, and Wells Fargo is 55 percent complete as of Dec. 31, 2012.

In addition to providing significant financial relief under the settlement, the banks are required to implement substantial changes to their mortgage servicing practices. Earlier this month, Attorney General Bondi announced that Bank of America and Wells Fargo have agreed to additional standards. To read more, follow this link: http://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsreleases/B23F67DA1E8925ED85257BF8005E1456

The $25 billion national settlement was announced last year by Attorney General Pam Bondi, 48 states and the U.S. Department of Justice with the five largest mortgage servicers—Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and Ally Bank, formerly GMAC.

Click here to access National Mortgage Settlement Monitor Joseph Smith’s statement to learn more about the credited relief amounts.

For more information regarding the report, visit MortgageOversight.com.

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