Regulating Housing GSEs: Thoughts on Institutional Structure and Authorities

Abstract

The appropriate regulatory structure for the three housing government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) raises interesting issues of political economy, as well as being an active concern for the Congress and the Bush Administration. In this paper, we review recent events, including several legislative proposals aimed at altering the institutional structure and authorities of housing GSE oversight. We then outline the relevant issues and offer some opinions about what we view as the appropriate institutional structure and authorities of GSE regulation.