In a compelling opening to the Mortgage Bankers Association CREF 2025 conference in San Diego this week, industry leaders and a sports icon shared insights on housing affordability, financial reform, and personal transformation. The event highlighted the intersection of policy, finance, and individual resilience in shaping the housing market and personal success.
Robert Broeksmit, president and CEO of the MBA, opened the session with optimistic news about the administration's commitment to affordable housing. "Across the administration, we are finding broad alignment to make housing more affordable," Broeksmit said. He pointed to the potential of the Opportunity Zones program to repurpose outdated office spaces into affordable housing units.
Broeksmit also touched on a long-standing issue in the mortgage industry: the conservatorship of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. "The timing may finally be right for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to exit conservatorship," he said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining market stability through continued guarantees on mortgage-backed securities.
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Natalie Dolce
Natalie Dolce, editor-in-chief of GlobeSt.com, is responsible for working with editorial staff, freelancers and senior management to help plan the overarching vision that encompasses GlobeSt.com, including short-term and long-term goals for the website, how content integrates through the company’s other product lines and the overall quality of content. Previously she served as national executive editor and editor of the West Coast region for GlobeSt.com and Real Estate Forum, and was responsible for coverage of news and information pertaining to that vital real estate region. Prior to moving out to the Southern California office, she was Northeast bureau chief, covering New York City for GlobeSt.com. Her background includes a stint at InStyle Magazine, and as managing editor with New York Press, an alternative weekly New York City paper. In her career, she has also covered a variety of beats for M magazine, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, FashionLedge.com, and Co-Ed magazine. Dolce has also freelanced for a number of publications, including MSNBC.com and Museums New York magazine.
