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MortgagePoint » Your Trusted Source for Mortgage Banking and Servicing News 58 August 2025 J O U R N A L "Buy Now, Pay Later loans are playing an increasingly important role in con- sumers' financial lives," said Julie May, VP and General Manager of B2B Scores at FICO. "By expanding our FICO Score 10 Suite with new models designed to incorporate BNPL data, we're enabling lenders to more accurately evaluate credit readiness, especially for consumers whose first credit experience is through BNPL products. This innovation also supports our mission to expand financial inclusion by helping more consumers gain access to credit." FICO Score 10 BNPL and FICO Score 10 T BNPL were developed to harness the benefits offered by the incorporation of consumers' BNPL data into the calculation. FICO's year-long joint study on BNPL data confirmed that a unique consumer behavior associated with BNPL loans is the potential for a large number of these loans to be opened within a short period of time. To ad- dress this, FICO developed an approach that includes aggregating separate BNPL loans together when calculating certain in-model variables. This novel treatment has proven effective at capturing predictive signals from the inclusion of BNPL data while increasing FICO Scores for some BNPL borrowers. "Our clients tell us that FICO's initia- tive to include BNPL data in credit scoring is a progressive step that acknowledges the evolving landscape of consumer financing," May added. "By capturing a broader view of consumer credit behav- ior, lenders believe they can make more informed decisions, ultimately benefiting both the industry and consumers." PRECISION POLICY APPROACHES PROMOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING GAINS T he J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy recently hosted the 4th Annual Terwil- liger Center Summit on Housing Supply Solutions at Union Station in Washing- ton, D.C. The event brought together leaders from government, business, philanthro- py, and more to discuss solutions to the nation's shortage of affordable housing. Hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Cen- ter (BPC), a not-for-profit organization that ensures policymakers work across party lines to craft bipartisan solutions, members of Congress and housing policy leadership alike weighed in during a series of panel discussions geared toward finding solutions to enhance the nation's stock of affordable housing. With the U.S. not having enough housing supply to meet demand, result- ing in an uptick in cost and limited op- tions for renters and homeowners alike, HUD Secretary Scott Turner addressed what it will take to boost housing supply. "We recognize that more than 80% of American adults believe that homeown- ership is part of the American Dream, and that they want to own a home someday," HUD Secretary Turner said. "A home is much more than a financial investment. Homeownership is about providing a sanctuary for your family … a place of joy, of love, of family formation, and creating a legacy that you can pass on to your children and your grandchildren." Moderated by Dennis Shea, EVP and Chair of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy for the BPC, "Home Matters: A Conversation on Housing Affordability" was led by the HUD Sec- retary, detailing how HUD is working to create more opportunities to unlock the American Dream of homeownership. "A home is more than just brick and mortar. Sadly, many Americans today feel a long way away, and they feel that the American Dream of homeownership is beyond their reach. We need about seven million units of housing in our country today," added the HUD Secretary in addressing the lack of affordable units available. "Housing prices are going up, and sales are going down, and I know that with the experts here and this distin- guished group, you understand that we need millions of units. The median home price as of this past April was $414,000 in America—a 21% increase from April 2021. Home sales last year were at their all-time lowest level in the last three decades. This is not sustainable for our country. These are not just numbers on a page. All these numbers represent American people who are not living the American Dream cur- rently … who are seeing this dream pass further and further out of their reach. We have to do something about this for our beloved country, and the beloved people of this country." Margaret Spellings, President and CEO, BPC, outlined the day's agenda, welcoming several dignitaries and in- troducing the opening panel discussion, "Finding Common Ground: Advancing Affordable Housing Through Biparti- sanship." Moderated by Pamela Hughes Patenaude, Board Vice Chair, for the BPC and Former Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Sens. Mike Rounds and Mark Warner joined Ron Terwilliger, Board Member of the BPC and Chairman Emeritus of Trammell Crow Residential Company in a discussion on the potential for bipartisan collaboration on housing policy, and how to advance meaningful legislation in the 119th Congress. The second session, moderated by Shena Ashley, VP of Capital One Community Impact and Investment and President, Capital One Insights Center, fo- cused on solutions for the urban market. "How Cities Are Rewriting the Housing Playbook" featured Mayors Danny Avula of Richmond, Virginia, and Jim Ross of Arlington, Texas, discussing the topic of the affordability challenges the mayors face in their communities, strategies they are pursuing to provide relief, and how stakeholders across the affordable housing ecosystem can best support these efforts. During the "Unlocking Our Nation's Housing Supply: Strengthening the Housing Choice Voucher Program to In- centivize Housing Provider Participation" session, Bob Pinnegar, President and CEO of the National Apartment Association, led a panel featuring Alan Ferguson, Chief Housing and Real Estate Officer of Atlanta Housing; Bonnie Smetzer, EVP of Asset Living; and Jason Ward, Co-Director, RAND Center on Housing