(Source: HUD) – This Mortgagee Letter communicates requirements to mortgagees regarding the use of the official logos, names and acronyms of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD or the Department) and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) within devices used to advertise or promote the business products or operations of FHA-approved mortgagees. For the purposes of this Mortgagee Letter, a “Device” constitutes a channel or instrument for soliciting, promoting or advertising FHA products or programs.
Under §§ 202 and 536 of the National Housing Act (NHA), HUD may impose sanctions, including civil money penalties, for misuse of the terms “Federal Housing Administration,” “Department of Housing and Urban Development,” “Government National Mortgage Association,” “Ginnie Mae,” the acronyms “HUD,” “FHA,” or “GNMA,” or any official seal or logo of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Department has determined that Devices using the HUD and the FHA seals, logos, and acronyms are present in the entire range of electronic and print media utilized by FHA-approved mortgagees, including but not limited to websites, website addresses, business names, aliases, Doing Business As (d/b/a) names, domain names, email addresses, direct mail advertisements, solicitations, promotional materials and correspondence.
The changes and clarifications outlined below are necessary to ensure that consumers, current homeowners, and potential homebuyers are properly informed of the authorship of advertisements that promote FHA products and are not misled to believe that the service or product being advertised is HUD or FHA-approved or endorsed.
