Gov. Gregoire announces alleged discriminatory lending by Countrywide Home Loans

For Immediate Release: June 25, 2008

State fines Countrywide, asks for state license to be pulled

SEATTLE � Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced plans by Washington state to fine Countrywide Home Loans $1 million for discriminatory lending. In addition, the company will be required to pay more than $5 million in back assessments the company failed to pay. Gregoire also announced the state is seeking to revoke Countrywide�s license to do business in Washington for its alleged illegal activity.

Joining Gregoire at today�s announcement was Deb Bortner, director of consumer services at the Washington state Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), and James Kelly, president of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle.

�The allegation that Countrywide preyed on minority borrowers is extremely troubling to me,� Gregoire said. �And I hope to learn eventually just how much this may have contributed to foreclosures in our state. The allegation offers evidence that Countrywide engaged in a pattern to target minority groups and engage in predatory practices.�

�That�s why we intend to bring the full weight of the state on Countrywide to rewrite home loans for minority borrowers who may have been misled into signing predatory mortgages,� the governor noted. �My job is to protect hard-working Washingtonians, and protect them we will.�

DFI is required to examine every home-lender licensed in the state of Washington. The agency conducted its fair lending examination of Countrywide last year. At that time, DFI looked at roughly 600 individual loan files and uncovered evidence that Countrywide engaged in discriminatory lending that targeted Washington�s minority communities. The agency also found significant underreporting of loans during its investigation.

The governor noted that the state is faring better in the national mortgage crisis thanks to the diversity of our state�s business and because Washington-based lending institutions are responsible leaders. Partly because of these factors, Washington ranks almost last in home foreclosures nationally.

During her administration, Gregoire has taken steps to help homeowners stay in their homes. In 2007, she formed the Task Force for Homeowner Security to ensure that impacts related to the national subprime mortgage market are minimized in Washington. Gregoire also asked DFI to watch for predatory and discriminatory lending.

�The Urban League is seeing far too many families caught up in the mortgage crisis who are being steered into bad loans,� stated James Kelly. �Today�s announcement from the governor is consistent with her message of protecting Washingtonians from national mortgage instability.�

DFI sent Countrywide a statement of charges on June 23, notifying the company of the fine and the back assessments the state plans to pursue. The investigation continues.

A copy of the statement can be found at http://www.dfi.wa.gov/.

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