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About
The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), commonly known as Freddie Mac, is a publicly traded, government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) chartered by the U.S. Congress on July 24, 1970, through the Emergency Home Finance Act. It buys mortgages from lenders, particularly savings and loan associations and smaller banks, to expand the secondary mortgage market and increase liquidity in the housing market. Headquartered at 8200 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22102-3110, Freddie Mac purchases residential mortgages, securitizes them into mortgage-backed securities (MBS), and sells them to investors, thereby increasing the availability of funds for homeownership and rental housing. It operates alongside its sister GSE, Fannie Mae, and was initially owned by the Federal Home Loan Banks before becoming a shareholder-owned company in 1989 under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA), with shares trading publicly (OTCQB: FMCC). Freddie Mac fulfills its mission by stabilizing the U.S. housing market through single-family and multifamily mortgage purchases, issuing debt securities, and managing a large investment portfolio. As of 2023, it employed approximately 7,799 people and reported $21.264 billion in revenue and $3.208 trillion in total assets for 2022. Key leaders include Chairman Bill Pulte and interim CEO Michael Hutchins. Contact details include investor relations at (571) 382-4732 or shareholder@freddiemac.com, and media at (703) 903-3933 or corprel@freddiemac.com. Freddie Mac faced significant controversy during the 2008 financial crisis, accused of contributing to the subprime mortgage meltdown through lax lending standards and risky investments, leading to massive losses and placement under FHFA conservatorship on September 6, 2008, where it remains despite gradual steps toward release. The U.S. Treasury injected over $187 billion in bailout funds, partially repaid, highlighting ongoing debates about GSE reform and taxpayer risk.