Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, though in conservatorship, still play an outsized role in the US housing market, guaranteeing about half of all outstanding residential mortgages and representing a massive $7.8 trillion in assets. They are without doubt systemically important concentrations of mortgage risk.
Historically, they were privately owned companies with the public subsidy in the form of a free implicit guarantee of their obligations by the US Treasury. This guarantee led to their 2008 bailout, when they received $187 billion in taxpayer support; the government’s equity interest has since grown to $366 billion.
Join AEI for a discussion on how Congress could approach Fannie and Freddie’s future structure, ownership, role, and the extent of the risk to the Treasury they will be allowed to pose.
Subscribe to AEI's YouTube Channel
youtube.com/user/AEIVideos?sub_confirmation=1
Like us on Facebook
facebook.com/AEIonline
Follow us on Twitter
twitter.com/AEI
For more information
aei.org
AEI operates independently of any political party and does not take institutional positions on any issues. AEI scholars, fellows, and their guests frequently take positions on policy and other issues. When they do, they speak for themselves and not for AEI or its trustees or other scholars or employees.
More information on AEI research integrity can be found here: aei.org/about
#aei #news #politics #government #education #livestream #live #housing #mortgage
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, though in conservatorship, still play an outsized role in the US housing market, guaranteeing about half of all outstanding residential mortgages and representing a massive $7.8 trillion in assets. They are without doubt systemically important concentrations of mortgage risk.
Historically, they were privately owned companies with the public subsidy in the form of a free implicit guarantee of their obligations by the US Treasury. This guarantee led to their 2008 bailout, when they received $187 billion in taxpayer support; the government’s equity interest has since grown to $366 billion.
Join AEI for a discussion on how Congress could approach Fannie and Freddie’s future structure, ownership, role, and the extent of the risk to the Treasury they will be allowed to pose.
Subscribe to AEI's YouTube Channel
youtube.com/user/AEIVideos?sub_confirmation=1
Like us on Facebook
facebook.com/AEIonline
Follow us on Twitter
twitter.com/AEI
For more information
aei.org
AEI operates independently of any political party and does not take institutional positions on any issues. AEI scholars, fellows, and their guests frequently take positions on policy and other issues. When they do, they speak for themselves and not for AEI or its trustees or other scholars or employees.
More information on AEI research integrity can be found here: aei.org/about
#aei #news #politics #government #education #livestream #live #housing #mortgage
