FHA Stakeholder Approach Survey - Handbook Implementation Support Services

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Handbook Project Stakeholder Engagement Information for the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) Submission

Overview of Engagement Activity:

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is in the process of evaluating and enhancing the Single Family Housing Office policy development process and delivery mechanism so that industry stakeholders can more effectively access and utilize FHA policy documentation, communications and resources. A critical component of this effort is obtaining feedback from key stakeholders. To accomplish this, FHA will conduct an assessment of other federal agencies and industry leading business partners to evaluate best practices with respect to developing, implementing and accessing policy documentation and communication resources. Additionally, FHA is working internally to streamline and improve the current policy development and clearance process, enhance the policy communications process, refine FHA’s guidance into an easy-to-use and comprehensive guide, and launch an improved online electronic policy platform.

To accomplish these efforts and significantly improve our policy development process and delivery mechanism, FHA would like to engage with stakeholders to:

• Understand how they currently access, interpret and apply FHA policy

• Understand the emerging industry standards

• Obtain feedback for improvements to existing policy and communication approach

FHA would like to engage stakeholders by holding voluntary group or one-on-one discussions, which would require individuals to participate in one discussion session that will last no more than two hours. The data collection is focused on the awareness, understanding, attitudes, preferences, or experiences of customers, (e.g. mortgage lenders, mortgage servicers or Direct Endorsement Underwriters) or other stakeholders in order to improve existing or future services, products, or communication materials. Statistical rigor is not necessary and public dissemination of the findings is not intended.

Discussion Session Agenda:

• Welcome and Introductions

  • Introduce iWorks Team members and explain roles

  • Conduct round robin to introduce participants

  • Explain discussion process and ground rules

• Review Session Goals and Objectives

• Guide Discussion

  • People: Roles and Responsibilities, Stakeholder Needs

  • Policy Content and Needs: Organization, Understandability

  • Communications: Processes, Content/Messages, Channels, Clarity/Informativeness, Timing

  • Tools and Technology: Accessibility, Usability, Capabilities

  • Monitoring: Feedback Cycle, Feedback Mechanisms

  • Emerging Standards

• Conduct Session Wrap-Up

  • Summarize discussion key points and takeaways

Discussion Session Topics :

1. What is your job role and how does it require you to engage with FHA?

2. What kind of policy content and messages do you receive from FHA?

3. What additional information do you need from FHA or would like to receive from FHA? How do you propose FHA shares this information with you?

4. How do you receive policy and policy-related communications from FHA? How often? Do you receive it from FHA headquarters or regional offices? Is this information clear, actionable, implementable?

5. What resources do you use to collect or actively search for FHA policy information? How often and why do you actively search for FHA policy information?

6. What feedback mechanisms and points of contact do you use to communicate to FHA to ask questions or provide feedback?

7. How far in advance does FHA currently notify you about policy changes, and what is the window of time they give you to implement these changes?

8. Name the regulatory bodies you work with the most and describe how you work with them.

9. What are the emerging industry standards that you think will have a positive impact on your work and why? Negative impact?

10. What impacts will Basel III have on you? Qualified Mortgage (QM)? Qualified Residential Mortgage (QRM)?

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