The Washington Report

On September 15, President Trump nominated Matt Jones, HUD's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Single Family Housing, to serve as Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Commissioner and HUD Assistant Secretary for Housing. NAR released a statement the same day in support of the nomination.

"The National Association of Realtors® is pleased to support the nomination of Deputy Assistant Secretary Matt Jones to serve as FHA Commissioner and HUD Assistant Secretary," said NAR Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn. "Deputy Assistant Secretary Jones brings extensive experience in housing finance, including his current role overseeing FHA's single-family portfolio. Jones has demonstrated his commitment to strengthening America's housing market through his service at HUD, the Mortgage Bankers Association and the Senate Banking Committee."

McGahn added, "We look forward to working closely with Deputy Assistant Secretary Jones and the administration to continue to advance policies that increase housing supply and improve affordability for families across the country."

The nomination requires Senate confirmation. NAR will engage with the Senate Banking Committee as the process moves forward.

On September 10, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced that VantageScore 4.0 and FICO Score 10T will become eligible credit score models for FHA-insured mortgage underwriting for case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2027. FHA first signaled in May that it planned to accept the two newer models in addition to the traditional FICO score it uses today.

FHA also released a preparedness guide and technical resources to help lenders and their technology vendors get ready for the change. The guidance is intended for planning purposes only and does not change current FHA policy, which remains in effect until formal updates are published. FHA is urging lenders to work with their credit and technology partners now so their systems are ready by the January 1 date.

FHA will hold daily virtual office hours from 2:30 to 3:30 PM ET on the following dates:

• November 16 through 20, 2026
• January 11 through 15, 2027

Questions can be submitted in advance to [email protected] with the subject line "Alternative Credit Score Models." Registration instructions will be sent closer to the event dates.

A little-noticed section in the new 21st Century ROAD to Housing Law provides a three-year authorization for the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, a long-standing National Association of REALTORS® priority.

CDBG-DR is the federal government's primary program for rebuilding and repairing permanent housing after major presidential disaster declarations. Historically, Congress has had to authorize funding for the program following individual disasters, and not every disaster received CDBG-DR assistance. When funding was approved, HUD often had to develop new program requirements for each allocation, creating inconsistent rules and delaying long-term housing recovery.

The new three-year authorization allows HUD to establish standing program rules, creating a more predictable framework for disaster recovery assistance. For homeowners and communities, that could mean faster access to recovery funds, more consistent program requirements, and a quicker path to rebuilding housing after hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and other disasters. 

NAR has advocated for permanent CDBG-DR authorization for many years and views the three-year authorization as an important step toward improving federal disaster recovery policy. NAR is urging HUD to use this authority to standardize program requirements, speed the release of funds, and incorporate home-hardening measures that reduce repetitive losses and help maintain property insurability.

While HUD must still implement the program through regulations and Congress must continue providing funding through the appropriations process, the authorization represents a significant policy victory and an important milestone in NAR's long-running effort to improve disaster housing recovery. NAR will continue working with Congress and HUD to ensure the program is fully implemented and delivers timely housing assistance to disaster-affected communities.

Read more about NAR’s Natural Disaster Policy