FHFA proposed Duty to Serve changes: comments due July 24, 2026
U.S. evening update: FHFA is accepting public comments on a proposed Duty to Serve rewrite affecting Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac through July 24, 2026.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has opened a public comment window on a proposed rule that would rescind and replace FHFA’s current “Duty to Serve Underserved Markets” regulation for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
FHFA says the rewrite is meant to help the Enterprises serve very low-, low-, and moderate-income families in manufactured housing, affordable housing preservation, and rural housing markets with “greater innovation” and less administrative burden. This is a proposal, not a final change—so any real-world borrower or renter effects depend on what FHFA ultimately adopts.
What FHFA is proposing to change
FHFA’s plan is a rescind-and-replace approach: it would scrap the existing Duty to Serve Underserved Markets regulation and replace it with a new regulatory framework governing how the Enterprises are expected to support underserved markets.
FHFA also lays out operational and accountability changes, including changes to how the Enterprises monitor performance and how they report progress over time.
Where the proposal applies: the underserved categories
The proposed rule focuses on Duty to Serve support in three named market areas, aimed at very low-, low-, and moderate-income populations:
- Manufactured housing
- Affordable housing preservation
- Rural housing markets
What’s at stake for readers: targets, measurement, and follow-through
For borrowers, homeowners, renters, and advocates, the practical question isn’t just whether Duty to Serve goals exist—it’s how FHFA would measure performance and how the Enterprises would translate the final rule into their Duty to Serve plans.
Because this is a proposal stage, the comment process is where industry groups and the public can push FHFA on questions like:
- Whether the performance framework will be clear and workable in the targeted markets
- How reporting and oversight changes could affect what the Enterprises prioritize
- Whether changes aimed at reducing administrative burden still preserve public accountability
Deadline and how to submit comments
FHFA will accept written comments on the proposed rule through July 24, 2026.
The Federal Register notice lists multiple submission options, including:
- Agency website submission
- Federal eRulemaking Portal (Regulations.gov) submission, plus an email copy to FHFA at RegComments@fhfa.gov
- Hand delivery/courier to FHFA in Washington, D.C.
- U.S. mail / carrier mail to the same FHFA address listed in the notice
FHFA also identifies the proposal’s regulatory information number as RIN 2590-AB64, including instructions for using it in the subject line for certain submission methods.
What’s still developing
FHFA has to review comments before issuing a final rule. Only then will it be clear whether FHFA changes the measurable Duty to Serve targets or the Enterprises’ implementation approach—and what that means for financing and housing access in manufactured housing, affordable preservation, and rural markets.
Sources
- Federal Register: Enterprise Duty To Serve Underserved Markets (91 FR 37848 / 2026-12750)
- FHFA: Duty to Serve program overview
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