Can Technology Solve The Problem Of Racial Bias In Appraisals?

By KIMBERLEY HAAS The question of whether technology alone can eliminate racial bias during the home appraisal process came up during a hearing held in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s Appraisal Subcommittee was holding its third public hearing when the topic was discussed. Member JeanMarie Mattingly, who serves as deputy director of credit union resources and expansion, was asking questions of the panelists offering testimony. She started by asking about the work Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are doing to monitor and assess appraisal reports for indications of bias. Danny Wiley, senior director of single-family valuation at Freddie Mac, said they have an entire team focused on appraisal quality monitoring. “We see problematic words in…