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Readjustment Act or the National Housing Act. Such authority extends not only to the charges made in connection with the guaranteed or insured loan to the purchaser of the unit, but also includes fees and charges that may be imposed in connection with nongovernmentassisted construction financing obtained by the project builder, or, for that matter, an individual lot owner desiring interim financing to construct a home on his lot, who contemplates permanent financing in the form of a guaranteed or insured loan.

It is not known whether this authority in the President will be exercised immediately following enactment of the bill, or only if abuses develop in connection with the fees and charges imposed or collected incident to the extension of construction or so-called permanent financing. In conjunction with the foregoing provision, it is noted that section 203 of the bill would repeal section 504 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended.

The Veterans' Administration concurs in the proposal to repeal section 504 and heretofore has recommended such repeal to the Administrator of the Housing and Home Finance Agency for the reasons set forth in the attached copy of a letter dated December 22, 1953, a copy of which I would like the privilege of inserting in the record. Senator BENNETT. Is that the letter, a copy of which is attached to this?

Mr. KNG. Yes.

Senator BENNETT. At this point, this letter of December 22, addressed to Mr. Cole, and signed by Mr. Higley, the Administrator of the Veterans' Administration, will be inserted in the record. (The letter referred to follows:)

VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION,

December 22, 1953.

Hon. ALBERT M. Cole,

Administrator, Housing and Home Finance Agency,

Washington 25, D. C.

DRAR MR. COLE: This is in response to your request of December 14, 1953, that I advise you regarding the experience of the Veterans' Administration with section 504 of the Housing Act of 1950, and that I state my views as to whether it has proved to be workable and effective.

It is considered advisable at the outset to advert to the situation which existed when the Congress originally enacted section 504 of the Housing Act of 1950. The following is quoted from Conference Report No. 1893, dated April 5, 1950, which accompanied S. 2246;

“Section 504 of the Senate bill contained a provision directed against the practice of lenders requiring excessive charges in consideration for making FHAor VA-guaranteed loans. In lieu of the provision of H. R. 6070—that no otherwise available mortgages could be purchased by the Federal National Mortgage Association unless the mortgagee certifies that no bonus, fees, or other charges in excess of those expressly authorized by the Association has been or would be charged or received by such mortgagee to or from the builder or the mortgagor in connection with such mortgage, the Senate language specifically authorizes and directs both the Federal Housing Commissioner and the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to prescribe the maximum fees which could be charged in connection with financing of construction or sale of housing built or sold with the assistance of any FHA-insured or VA-guaranteed loan, and to require certificates from the mortgagee that no excess charges have been imposed by such mortgagee. These regulations would apply not only to charges in connection with the particular mortgage loans insured or guaranteed by the Government, but to charges in connection with other loans made for the construction or sale of housing involved. The conference substitute contains the Senate language." In the report from the Senate Committee on Banking and Currency on the amendment of S. 2246 (Rept. No. 1286, dated February 24, 1950), it was stated: "With respect to these GI-guaranteed loans, a committee amendment previously

reported would have required the mortgagee, as a condition to the sale to the FNMA, to certify that no bonus, fee, or charge, other than those approved by the FNMA, has been or will be received in connection with the placement of the loan. The amendment was directed against a practice in some areas of payments by builders to lenders in order to get them to make 4-percent GI loans for resale to FNMA. This practice tends to increase the price of housing sold to veterans and to defeat the purpose of the 4-percent-interest-rate limitation for GI loans. Your committee has now deleted this amendment, which would have applied only in the case of FNMA purchases of VA-guaranteed loans, and in lieu thereof is recommending a provision to be included in title VI of the amendment (sec. 604), which would specifically authorize and direct both the Federal Housing Commissioner and the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to prescribe maximum fees which could be charged in connection with the financing of construction or sale of hous ing built or sold with the assistance of any FHA-insured mortgage or VA-guaranteed loan, and to require certifications from the mortgagee that no excess charges have been imposed by it. Regulations so issued could apply to all charges made in connection with financing of housing built or sold with such assistance, even though some portion of the financing was not assisted by the Government. Thus, the maximum benefits from such a provision would be extended to all purchasers of homes for which loans are guaranteed or insured by the Government, whether or not the loans are sold to FNMA."

It should be borne in mind that initially what the Congress proposed was a control on fees chargeable by the mortgagee only with respect to those mortgages being tendered to Fannie Mae. At that time the Federal National Mortgage Association was issuing advance commitments and many such commitments were held by lenders. Furthermore, the mortgagee could sell all of his GI loan originations to FNMA and those lenders who had the Fannie Mae commitments were, in some areas, charging builders very substantial sums in order to obtain the financing which eventually resulted in a mortgage owned by the Government. The lender was (in effect) exacting a fee from the builder or sponsor for obtaining GI financing that actually represented the use of Government funds. It is considered that this was the practice Congress was mainly concerned about and was desirous of curbing, although there was, in addition, concern that the cost to the purchaser of the house would include this charge to the builder. As you know, Congress has changed the FNMA advance commitment authority. Such change together with other developments concerning the purchase of mortgages by Fannie Mae have operated as effective curbs on the practice (the charging of fees for what really was the use of Government funds) which the Congress was seeking to control when section 504 was originally enacted on April 20, 1950. Prior to June 30, 1953, section 504 of the Housing Act of 1950 directed the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs (and the Commissioner of the Federal Housing Administration) to control the charges and fees lenders could impose on the builder or seller of residential construction being sold with the aid of Government guaranteed or insured financing. The statute required controls on the charges and fees that lenders could impose against builders not only in connection with the guaranteed or insured financing to the persons purchasing the completed units but also in connection with conventional construction financing obtained by the builder to construct the units. The Federal Housing Administration and this agency took coordinated action to issue appropriate regulations and approved schedules of permissible fees and charges. The respective agencies construed the statute as prohibiting the payment or absorption by builders of the discounts incurred by originating lenders when disposing of loans guaranteed or insured by such agencies to investors, and the schedules prohibited lenders from passing such discounts on to builders. As you know, VA-guaranteed 4-percent loans were selling in the secondary market at substantial discounts. FHA-insured 4-percent loans had a somewhat more favorable market. In this economic market lenders and builders sought ways and means of legally circumventing the prohibitions in the VA regulations and schedules against the payment or absorption by builders of the discounts being incurred by lenders when disposing of 4-percent loans in the secondary market and a situation developed which was not satisfactory from an administrative standpoint, or from the standpoint of lenders and builders.

On June 30, 1953. Congress endeavored to cure the situation by an amendment to section 504 which has the effect of authorizing builders to pay or absorb the discounts and other charges lenders originating Government guaranteed or insured loans incur when disposing of those loans to secondary investors. It is true that under this amendment lenders originating GI loans for retention may

not make any charges to builders in connection therewith since the statute contemplates the absorption or payment of discounts by builders only in the event the loans originated are sold. The industry has overcome this obstacle by having the loans originated by builders or by their subsidiaries or affiliates who thereafter sell the loans to the "permanent" lenders at a discount. You will recognize that this arrangement is necessary in order to cope with the competitive advantage which the statute currently affords to secondary investors who acquire loans by purchase rather than through direct origination. Such local institutions as savings banks, savings and loan associations and others that ordinarily would originate loans on local properties for retention are naturally adverse to doing so at a par cost when their position yield-wise will be improved by acquiring loans through purchase.

Section 504 as it currently provides precludes effective control over the amount of the charges against builders since the statute clearly contemplates that builders may pay whatever discounts and charges secondary investors actually charge the lenders originating leans guaranteed or insured by the Federal Housing Administration or the Veterans' Administration. There obviously is little point in controlling the charges a lender makes in connection with conventional construction financing extended to the builder so long as the builder can originate the "take-out" loans and thereafter sell them to the construction lender at whatever discount is agreed upon. The enactment of legislation prohibiting builders from originating GI loans directly or through the medium of a subsidiary or affiliate would not be a remedy because it would only serve to continue in effect and to accentuate the competitive advantage which investors acquiring loans by purchase currently have under section 504 over investors acquiring loans by origination. These factors and the fact that the practice which mainly induced the original enactment of section 504 no longer obtains leads this agency to recommend that section 504 be repealed. The effect of such a repeal would be that both this agency and the Federal Housing Administration would confine its control to the regulation of the charges lenders may make against the borrowers obtaining guaranteed or insured loans while control of charges against builders both in respect to guaranteed and insured financing to persons purchasing homes and to conventional construction financing obtained by the builders would be determined by competitive forces. The Veterans' Administration is of the opinion that this is desirable and that Government controls should exist only if practicable and clearly necessary. The repeal of section 504 would also allow local investors such as savings banks and savings and loan associations to compete on equal terms with secondary investors without the necessity for resorting to the indirect origination of loans by builders or their subsidiaries or affiliates.

We are not unmindful that some contend that builders do not absorb discounts or other charges made by lenders but merely pass such charges to the home purchaser by increasing the sales price of the homes. It is the opinion of the Veterans' Administration that this contention is not generally valid in that it overlooks the appraisal controls which this agency can exercise through refusal to recognize increases in reasonable value. Regional offices of this agency have been exhorted to exercise extreme care to avoid yielding to any upward pressures from builders to permit the reflection of discounts through higher reasonable values. While we do not deny the possibility or even the probability that in some instances the builder is able to obtain higher valuations sufficient to recompense him for all-or at least part-of whatever discount he may be required to pay for his financing, we are of the opinion that such instances are a minority and that in the great majority of cases it is unlikely that a builder is able to recoup his discount costs through higher reasonable values. In any case, there is no reason to believe that the builder would be more successful in having his discount absorptions reflected in the reasonable value if section 504 were to be repealed, since our instructions requiring the vigilant examination of appraisal requests to avoid the reflection of discounts will remain unchanged. This would be consonant with the intent manifested by the Congress when the provisions of section 504 were liberalized to authorize builders to absorb discounts since the Congress contemplated that the control against builders passing discounts on to veterans would, in fact, be the appraisal control. In that connection the conference report (Rept. 692, dated June 30, 1953) which accompanied S. 2103, states as follows:

"In adopting the language of the House amendment, the committee of conference wishes to make clear that the Veterans' Administration may take reasonable measures to assure that any discounts or warehousing or similar fees

which may be absorbed by the builder are not to be passed back to the veteran purchaser. Any such cost cannot be passed back to the veteran if the certificate of reasonable value, issued by the Veterans' Administration in connection with the sale of the property, is in fact a realistic value. In connection with the sale of a property guaranteed or insured by the Veterans' Administration the VA issues a so-called certificate of reasonable value, commonly referred to as a CRV, which sets a maximum limit at which the property may be sold and the veteran still obtain an insured or guaranteed loan upon it. This is the control mechanism to guard against abuses in either financing cost or construction practices. Obviously if the CRV is a realistic figure such abuses cannot exist." Historically, there has always been a geographic variance in the adequacy of the supply of mortgage money. As a consequence, certain mortgages would command a premium in some areas of the country while in other areas the same mortgage would be sold at a discount. Within reasonable limits this is an entirely proper situation. On the other hand, there is always the possibility of the practice exceeding normal bounds, and unquestionably it would be highly desirable to endeavor to keep it within reasonable limits. That the effectuation of such control through restrictive legislation is not practicable is indicated by the experience of this agency in its endeavor to administer effectively the provisions of section 504 as they existed prior to June 30, 1953. Since the prime motivating factor which originally prompted the passage of section 504 no longer obtains and since the recent amendment to the statute does not afford any really effective control over charges against builders this agency is of the opinion that the preferable course action is to recommend to the Congress that the statute be repealed. We think the clarifying effect of such repeal would have a healthful and desirable effect of encouraging many responsible investors to resume or augment their participation in GI loans as it would eliminate the concern over the possibility that inadvertently or otherwise the fees attendant loan origination may have been in derogation of the law as it now exists. Sincerely yours,

H. V. HIGLEY, Administrator.

Mr. KING. With the repeal of section 504 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended, the VA would, in the absence of the establishment of fees and charges maxima by the President, only regulate the fees and charges that lenders may impose directly against the veterans obtaining GI-guaranteed or insured loans.

It would not attempt to regulate the fees and charges that lenders may impose against builders, sellers, or other parties interested in the transaction. As a consequence, lenders, builders, sellers, and other parties in interest-except the veteran borrower-would be at liberty to bargain freely in connection with the charges to be paid incident to the extension of both construction and permanent financing.

In this situation, competitive factors or considerations would operate to determine the fees and charges payable. The Veterans' Administration is of the opinion that this is desirable both from the standpoint of the lending and building industries, and also from an administrative standpoint.

Senator BENNETT, May I interrupt you there again? Do I understand, therefore, that you are opposing the idea that the President should have the power to set any such maximum fees?

Mr. KING. No, sir; we are not. We are simply saying that in the absence of action by the President, we won't propose to regulate at all, except charges made directly against the veteran. Now, the primary reason for putting that in here and expressing ourselves this way is that there is a controversial record behind us, in and out of the Congress, and we are stating our position, so that if anybody doesn't like it, they can bring us to book right now.

Senator BENNETT. Well, you go on.

Mr. KING. When I said "anybody," I meant if the committee didn't like what we would propose to do, they would be on notice, and would make us do differently.

Senator BENNETT. That is right.

Mr. KING. Section 201 (5) of the proposed bill authorizes the President to establish maximum ratios of loan to value and maximum maturities for home loans guaranteed or insured under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act. Currently, VA may guarantee or insure 100-percent 30-year home loans. Under section 201 (5) of the bill, the VA may continue to guarantee or insure 100-percent 30-year loans until such time as the President exercises the authority in the proposed section 201 (5) and establishes lesser maxima.

We consider the proposed section 201 (5) to be in the nature of a standby authority insofar as the GI-loan program is concerned. Such authority presumably would be exercised by the President only in the event an inflationary situation develops, but it is not clear whether the Congress contemplates that such power shall be exercised merely to coordinate the terms of the FHA and VA loans. In this connection, it is desired to bring to the committee's attention that the proposed section 201 does not include specific statutory authority which would enable the President, when establishing shorter maturities and reduced loan-to-value ratios for GI and FHA loans, should such action become necessary, to establish a preference for veterans seeking to purchase GI financing.

The committee may wish to consider the desirability of including language in the proposed section 201 (5) which would enable the President to maintain veterans' present preferred position in the acquisition of new or existing housing.

Section 202 of the bill adds a new section 515 to the Servicemen's Readjustment Act which will enable the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to make such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the limitations established by the President pursuant to section 201 of the bill. This amendment to the Servicemen's Readjustment Act is of a technical nature to accompany the provisions of section 201 of the bill.

Title III of the bill concerns the Federal National Mortgage Association. In this connection, it is desired to state that the Veterans' Administration favors the concept of a privately financed secondary market facility. Historically, the Congress has made specific provision, from time to time, for the support of the GI-loan program by the Federal National Mortgage Association.

The preferential treatment thus afforded to veterans loans has ranged from unrestricted support down to a maximum eligibility of 50 percent of total originations. In the reconstitution of the Federal National Mortgage Association provided under title III of the bill, there is no indication as to whether it is the will of the Congress that any modicum of preferred treatment continue to be afforded to GI loans.

As the bill stands, it would appear to negate any legislative intent that preferred support be given to GI loans under the reconstituted secondary market facility. It may be mentioned in this connection that GI loans are not enumerated among the special assistance programs authorized by section 301 (b) of the bill.

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