Marketplace: IndyMac backdating helped downfall

PUBLIC HEARING IS IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR CUSTOMERS TO WEIGH IN WITH BANK REGULATORS 

If your mortgage was originated by Financial Freedom or IndyMac, or if your mortgage was serviced by OneWest Bank, then we have an important announcement to share with you.

Earlier this month, the Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency announced they would hold a public hearing on the proposed merger of OneWest with CIT Group.

If you had an experience with OneWest Bank that was less stellar, you should consider sharing your experience with the Federal Reserve and OCC.  As part of the public hearing announcement, the regulators also announced they were extending the public comment period on the merger until February 26, 2015.

Better yet, if you’re in Los Angeles, consider attending the public hearing.  If you’re not speaking, you can just show up.  But, if you’d like to speak, you need to tell the regulators and information on how to do that is listed below.

If you are in Los Angeles and would like to weigh in on the merger, there is a public hearing being held on February 26th.  All persons wishing to testify at the public meeting must submit a written request no later than 5:00 p.m. PST on February 20, 2015. A request to testify may be sent by mail to: Scott Turner, Vice President, Community Engagement, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, 101 Market Street, San Francisco, California 94105; by e-mail to: sf.community.development.info@sf.frb.org; or by facsimile: 415-977-4011.

If you can’t make the hearing, but want to share your views, you can send an email to: comments.applications@ny.frb.org and WE.Licensing@occ.treas.gov.  If you have personal experiences with OneWest Bank, CIT Group, or Financial Freedom, it is probably a good idea to mention that in your email.

If you’d like to learn more about this proposed merger, you may want to go to the California Reinvestment Coalition’s website, they have an entire page dedicated to this merger and it outlines the more troubling aspects.  Proposed Merger of CIT Group and OneWest Bank Resource Page.