FHA restructuring proposals: Alternatives and implications

Abstract

This article evaluates problems of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) under its current structure, develops criteria for judging alternative structures, and suggests one alternative—an assigned risk pool—that encourages efficiency in the insurance function while still promoting low‐ and moderate‐income housing. A historical introduction explains how the current institutional relationships came about and created FHA's problems.

FHA's decline resulted from the mixing of a heavy social agenda with the basic insurance objective, a destructive reorganization of the Department of Housing and Urban Development that caused FHA to lose control and focus, and government's inherent inability to respond to market signals. Yet the economic rationale for government involvement in FHA functions is strong. An FHA organized as an independent government agency, a government‐sponsored enterprise, or even a privatized entity structured as an assigned risk pool could improve efficiency of underwriting, pricing, and administration while achieving the redistributional objectives.     

Can State Review of Local Planning Increase Housing Production?

Abstract

To increase housing production and make the distribution of affordable housing more equitable, several states subject local land use planning to review by state agencies or courts. Focusing an empirical analysis on California, this article considers the potential efficacy of these reviews in contributing to the overall supply of housing. Past studies of other intergovernmental mandates suggest that their institutional design helps determine their success.

A comparison of four states indicates that approaches differ considerably in how they determine local housing needs, evaluate local efforts prospectively or retrospectively, and penalize noncompliance. California's housing element law, which mandates prospective local planning for quantifiable housing goals, gives state staff the power to review local plans for compliance with statutory requirements. However, multivariate analysis indicates that the compliance status of California municipalities in 1994 did not predict the number of single‐family or multifamily housing permits issued from 1994 to 2000.     

FHA in the Great Recession: Rebalancing Its Role

The Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund has a negative net worth as of FY2012, partly because of the weak economic recovery and partly because its policy has been directed to supporting homeownership at the risk of incurring more defaults. Although recently announced reforms should reduce losses, higher insurance premiums and lower loan-to-value ratios will still be necessary. But FHA faced and survived similar situations before, and should be able to do so again, without draconian limitations on its authority.     

中低收入者住房金融的国际经验与借鉴

由于各个国家历史背景、基本国情不同,各个国家在实践中形成了各有特色的中低收入者住房金融制度。由于拥有世界上最发达的资本市场,美国在中低收入者住房金融方面建立了完备的住房抵押贷款市场;新加坡住房金融是一种强制储蓄模式,包括中低收入群体在内,核心政策是推行住房公积金制度;在德国,主要通过社会福利房、住房合作社、住房互助储蓄信贷银行等方式来解决中低收入者的住房金融问题;在英国,住房抵押贷款是许多中低收入购房者的重要资金来源。     

商业银行住房贷款风险防范分析

在大力发展个人住房信贷业务的同时,应客观分析其政策风险、市场风险等潜在风险。针对商业银行住房贷款风险的表现,从建立住房贷款风险预警系统,健全银行内部管理机制,积极稳妥地推进金融创新,完善抵押物管理措施几个方面对住房贷款业务风险的防范做一些有益的探讨。     

原告资格判定中“保护规范说”和“实际影响说”的混用与厘清——兼评东联电线厂案再审判决

在东联电线厂案再审判决中,最高人民法院重申了刘广明案“保护规范说”的原理,但并未就产品质量法规范如何成为确定原告资格的规范充分说理。裁判认为被诉处罚已确认了产品质量处罚的要件事实,起诉人由此将可能受到产品质量行政处罚这一行政法上的不利影响。这强调了被诉处罚和产品质量行政处罚间事实上可能的因果关系,是“实际影响说”的体现。法院还指出了被诉机关线索移交的义务,并肯定了被诉处罚对于后一行政处罚的确认效力,客观上可补充因果关系的论证,但确认效力的实定法基础,以及给予预防性救济的必要性仍待证明。东联电线厂案再审判决在论证中混用了两种理论,反映了多次作为最高人民法院裁判原理的“保护规范说”的理论深度尚不足以应对疑难案件,也说明了“实际影响说”的影响力不可忽视。理论界和实务界应就我国原告资格具体疑难案件进行讨论,重视两种理论在应用中各自的发展,承认两者存在相互作用的可能,并回应来自对方角度的解释。     

论住房保障体系的建设与构建和谐社会

该文基于住房保障体系建设与和谐社会构建的对应关系,分析了中国因房价而分化的社会贫富差异以及透析了房屋空置的深层次问题;针对房地产新政的配套实施与借鉴国外税制的成功经验,适时提出了以住房保障为基石,根除可能导致的两级分化并构建"和谐房产"的几点对策。     

暴力拆迁与暴力维权问题研究

本文针对目前社会上热议的暴力拆迁与暴力维权问题,从形而下与形而上两个层面对此问题进行了一番探讨与总结,分析了权利与权力之间、不同法律之间、各种利益之间及道德与技术之间等诸多关系的协调问题,并提出了笔者所认为的解决之道。     

城市房屋拆迁许可行为的法律思考

随着市场经济的进一步发展,城市化的进程越来越快,城市房屋拆迁许可行为在实践中暴露出了许多问题,有的已相当严重。在城市房屋拆迁许可行为实体内容方面,应明确区分两种目的的拆迁即公益性的拆迁和商业性的拆迁,在拆迁许可条件中,解决＂一女二嫁＂的土地权属问题,同时,将签订补偿安置协议作为许可的一项条件。程序方面应加入通知程序和听证程序,并且对拆迁期限作出更加明确科学的规定。