Do you agree with Barney Frank?

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When I was in Washington, D.C., last week, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and a couple of other politicians addressed a group of journalists gathered on Capitol Hill to cover the administration’s overhaul of finance rules. I hesitated to blog on it because have you ever heard the man speak? It’s a stream of mumbling.

With that caveat, he said a couple of discernible things worth recounting.

No. 1: ‘The notion that homeownership is a universal goal is greatly flawed,’ Frank said. There are people ‘for whom rental housing is ideal.’ His point: Homeownership society thinking contributed to the housing bubble.

No. 2: ‘The ability to securitize 100% of loans caused the bubble,’ he said. One of the critical changes going forward is that lenders keep some ‘skin in the game,’ he said, and retain at least a 5% stake in the loans they make.

I agree on No. 1 and, as for No. 2, I think a 5% stake is better than nothing, but I have no idea if it’s enough.

And while we’re talking about having skin in the game, he concluded with this idea: When home prices appreciate, a lot of problems can go unchecked and unnoticed. ‘But when the tide goes out,’ he said, ‘you can see who has been swimming naked.’

-- Lauren Beale

Thoughts? Comments?