Banks Manage their own Penalty

Mortgage Settlement Report Finds Banks Reluctant To Reduce Principal, Despite Promises

The largest mortgage settlement in U.S. history was pitched by its creators as a deal that would offer quick aid to 1 million people in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. But according to a report released Thursday by the court-appointed monitor of the settlement, in the first nine months after the $25 billion deal was struck, fewer than 50,000 people received the most coveted form of relief: reduction of principal owed on a first mortgage.

Meanwhile, more than three times as many borrowers — 169,000 — agreed to a short sale, which requires they leave the property, according to the report.

Banks still have time to meet their obligations under the settlement, which requires that 30 percent of total relief come in the form of first mortgage principal reduction. But housing advocates say the limited progress so far — just 14 percent of aid has gone to write down loan balances — suggests that banks are avoiding, or at least delaying, their obligation to provide meaningful relief as they promised under the deal.

Mortgage Settlement Report Finds Banks Reluctant To Reduce Principal, Despite Promises

What did the federal government think would happen when their vaunted, over-hyped 25 billion dollar settlement wound up in the hands of the banks themselves? A child could have made an accurate prediction. You reward criminality by avoiding any real penalties. You chock it up as an enormous victory for the government while the banks and people like me hold you in contempt for your incompetence and servile stance to corporate crime. The banks have to pay back some money to the people they stole from. Great. Except that they decide who gets the money and they have decided that most of the money will go to short sales. Isn’t that special. They’re maximizing their profit. Who would’ve thought?

James Pilant