District Circular Letters
CY 2001 FFIEC HMDA PC SOFTWARE
Lending data that consists
of loans and applications for home purchases, home improvements and refinancings
for Calendar Year (CY) 2001 must be submitted between January 1, 2001
and March 1, 2001 in the form of a Loan/Application Register (LAR). The
enclosed software will assist you in collecting and submitting your 2001
HMDA data in an appropriate machine-readable format. You may also use
this software to process your 2000 data.
If you elect to use the FFIEC
software to collect and submit CY 2001 HMDA data, you must install the
enclosed version. The new version accommodates current HMDA reporting
requirements and includes updated edits and procedures.
If you choose not to use
the enclosed software, you must:
- Use software that conforms exactly
to the file specifications required by your regulator for Regulation
C reporting.
- Edit the data before submission, using the
public edits available from the Board of Governors. These edits are
available to vendors or can be coded in-house. You also have the option
of importing in-house data into the software for editing purposes.
- The file specifications for CY 2001 are
the same as those for CY 2000 data; they will be included in this package.
The edits can be obtained from the FFIEC web site address: www.ffiec.gov/hmda.
Follow the "how to file" link.
Major Changes and features
for 2001 HMDA software:
· FFIEC supports
the enclosed software (Version 2.10) to run only in a
Windows environment. This enables the software to run more efficiently
and permits users to take advantage of the latest Windows technology,
such as the ability to perform a Print Preview on different HMDA
reports.
· The software is
distributed on CD-ROM only. Minimum hardware requirements for the 2001
software are: Pentium or equivalent processor; Windows (95, 98, ME,
2000 or Windows NT (Service Pack 3 or higher)) software; 32MB of RAM;
MPC-compatible, double-speed CD-ROM drive; 40MB free disk space; Super
VGA monitor; mouse; 1.44MB diskette drive (for exporting data).
· The export feature
was re-written this year to provide users a more timely and efficient
export process. You may see an increase in speed of up to 30 percent,
depending on the number of loan records, during the creation of the
‘HMDA.dat’ file. However, please keep in mind that the export process
onto diskette is faster when the operating system is Windows 95, 98,
ME, or 2000 rather than Windows NT. If you are using a Windows NT operating
system, the better export option choice for speed and efficiency is
Internet e-mail. (More information about Internet e-mail submissions
is given on pages 3-4. If you have not tried to submit your encrypted
HMDA file via Internet e-mail, we suggest that you make the CY 2000
HMDA data submission the first year for this option. You can either
use this software, or the 2000 software, to prepare and send your encrypted
HMDA data file.)
· HMDA data for
five consecutive years–-CY 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998 and 1997–-can be collected
using the 2001 (Version 2.10) software because all edits and
census data for those years are included on this software release. The
database for activity year 1996 will no longer be active; however, 1996
data will be archived using the 2.10 version once the user opens the
HMDA Front Page of the software. Please see the help screens
for further information about archiving your 1996 data.
· The HMDA data
entry software is designed to install over previous versions of the
software without loss of data stored in prior years. However, it is
advised that you make a backup copy of your data before installing the
new version. If you used the default directory of C:\hmdaw during
your previous installation, the files will be located in the C:\hmdaw\data
subdirectory. You should copy all files in this subdirectory to
another location. Once this backup is made, the new software should
be installed. If you find that your old data are missing from your new
software, you can copy the back-up files to the C:\hmdaw\data
subdirectory.
Please note that certain features
from the FFIEC 2000 (Version 2.01) are still in effect and continue
to be noteworthy:
- The integrated Geocoding Utility, which
was added as an option for obtaining geographical data on particular
loans is available. If you choose to use the utility and purchase regional
geography information from Geographical Data Technology (GDT), you will
receive a database of geographical data for the specific region(s) on
CD-ROM. (The GDT order form can be found on the software by going to
the Help menu and choosing Search.) You do not need to
install the database from this CD-ROM; you must, however, place it in
your computer’s CD-ROM drive for the geocoding function of the software
to work properly. The integrated geocoding utility searches the CD-ROM
for the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), state, county, and census
tract codes that match an address and automatically includes the information
on the loan entry screen.
- If you choose not to purchase the CD-ROM
from GDT, refer to the FFIEC’s Web site (www.ffiec.gov) and then click
on the FFIEC Geocoding/Mapping Systems link to obtain geographic information.
Input a street address to obtain the geographical data for your HMDA
LAR. This Web site now includes a Map Feature that allows you
to open a map of census tract code areas, via your Internet browser,
to determine geocoding information for certain property areas. You may
find this feature most helpful when the Geocoder is unable to locate
the address you requested. The Map Feature may allow you
to determine the census information on your own.
- If you are interested in printing a "User
Guide," you must follow the instructions that are included in the
software; no paper copy of the user guide is provided with the software.
ASSISTANCE FOR COLLECTING
AND REPORTING HMDA DATA
You can send your HMDA data
to us only if your institution is supervised by the Federal Reserve System
(FRS). Please do not send your HMDA data to us if you are supervised by
the OCC, FDIC, NCUA or OTS; or if you are an independent mortgage company
supervised by HUD. There are several helpful reference documents to consult
for assistance in collecting and reporting HMDA: A Guide to HMDA Reporting:
Getting it Right!, Regulation C, and the CRA/HMDA Reporter newsletter.
Regulation C: The
exemption threshold for depository institutions increased. Depository
institutions with assets of $30 million or less as of December 31,
1999 are exempt for CY 2000 data collection. The asset threshold for
nondepository institutions remains unchanged. Nondepository institutions
are exempt if they have assets of $10 million or less as of December
31, 1999 and originated fewer than 100 home purchase loans (including
refinancings) in 1999.
A Guide to HMDA
Reporting: Getting it Right! There have been no major changes
to Regulation C, with the exception of the depository institution
asset threshold, that would necessitate a 2000 version of the Guide.
The 1998 Guide should be used for guidance on collection and
reporting of CY 2000 HMDA data due March 1, 2001. You can find the
Guide on the FFIEC Web site, at www.ffiec.gov/hmda.
CRA/HMDA Reporter
Newsletter This newsletter was distributed in September 2000
to the contact person of CY 1999 FRS HMDA reporters. It was also placed
in an Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file on the FFIEC HMDA
Web site (www.ffiec.gov/hmda). The newsletter contains helpful
tips on several topics that deserve special attention when collecting
data and preparing the LAR report. Some of these areas include submitting
your data via e-mail, and the correct reporting of the ‘type of purchaser’
code to reflect sales of originated or purchased loans completed in
the same calendar year as the data reported on the register. It would
be useful to read the newsletter prior to submitting your CY 2000
HMDA report.
Revisions to Regulation
C
The Federal Reserve Board adjusts
the exemption threshold for depository institutions annually, based on
the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index. In December
2000, the Board adjusted the exemption threshold for depository institutions
for 2001 collection from $30 million to $31 million. This change was incorporated
in the Regulation C Staff Commentary on December 20, 2000.
Reporters should know that
Auburn-Opelika, Alabama (MSA 0580) and Corvallis, Oregon (MSA 1890) are
now MSAs (Metropolitan Statistical Area) in the 2000 census data. Additionally,
the county code for Miami-Dade County (formerly known as Dade County)
in Florida was changed from 025 to 086.
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