This week, members of the Coalition for Home Equity Partnership (CHEP) had a strong presence at the Information Management Network’s (IMN) Home Equity Investment (HEI) and Home Equity Capital Markets Forum in Austin. As the only conference dedicated exclusively to home equity, the event provided a critical platform for discussing the evolution of home equity investments, also referred to as shared equity products (SEPs).
CHEP, a national non-profit association representing a collective of financial services companies including founding members Hometap, Point, and Unlock, is committed to the protection and promotion of the SEP industry. Throughout the conference, three themes stood out as central to this effort: the importance of balancing standardization with innovation, the rigor of homeowner education, and the path toward regulatory clarity.
Establishing Standards Without Limiting Choice
Various discussions highlighted the desire among ecosystem participants for establishing consistent standards for offering SEPs in the market. During the Evolving Approaches to HEI & Home Equity: Products, Players & Practices in Today’s Market panel, Hometap’s CEO Jeffrey Glass, Point’s Head of Investor Relations Jordan Fox, and Unlock’s CEO Jim Riccitelli spoke to CHEP’s goal of creating industry standards around best practices and disclosures, helping to bring greater clarity and confidence to homeowners, capital providers, and regulators alike.
That theme carried into the session Standardizing HEI Products: Enhancing Confidence and Scalability, where panelists, including Riccitelli, noted that while standardized practices can strengthen the market, product diversity should be treated as a cornerstone of continued innovation. Just as the mortgage industry offers many options, homeowners benefit from having more than one way to tap their equity. Striking the right balance between standardization and innovation will be crucial to ensuring both trust and long-term market growth.
Raising the Bar on Transparency and Homeowner Education
Another theme that surfaced across panels was the importance of rigorous, transparent homeowner education. In Servicing Challenges in Home Equity Investments: Operational Risk, Compliance, and Borrower Engagement, Hometap’s Chief Compliance Officer Adam Jaskievic highlighted the need for ongoing education and clear communication throughout the entire life of the investment, ensuring homeowners understand their agreements at every stage.
This emphasis was echoed in the Marketing & Educating Strategies: How Are You Educating the Consumer? panel, during which Riccitelli and Fox discussed the responsibility operators have to take direct ownership of homeowner education rather than outsourcing it. CHEP members emphasized that these aren’t aspirational goals but practices they have already embedded into their operations to ensure homeowners fully understand the commitments they are making.
Driving Regulatory Clarity through CHEP
One of the most prominent takeaways from the conference was the need for clearer legislative frameworks for the industry. In the panel Overcoming Regulatory Barriers and Enhancing Consumer Protection, Riccitelli and Point’s Deputy General Counsel Matthew Windsor emphasized that the industry actively welcomes regulatory clarity to strengthen consumer protections and market stability, recognizing regulation as essential for building long-term trust and scalability. CHEP members detailed how they are working toward this goal by engaging regulators directly, state by state, and educating them on the value of SEPs and how they work.
Even outside of the regulatory-focused panel, CHEP’s role was consistently acknowledged across content throughout the conference. Companies beyond the coalition noted that CHEP is playing a central role in moving the industry forward and ensuring SEPs are built on a foundation of transparency, trust, and accountability.
Looking Ahead
The presence of CHEP members across so many sessions at this year’s forum underscored the association’s leadership in tackling the most pressing industry issues. As a Bronze conference sponsor, CHEP hosted a booth at the event to facilitate attendee engagement. CHEP President Cliff Andrews met and interacted with many stakeholders who took a strong interest in joining the association.
Ultimately, ecosystem participants left optimistic about the role CHEP is playing in shaping the future of SEPs. With new opportunities ahead, CHEP is expanding its reach and welcoming new member organizations that believe in the association’s mission and the value of SEPs for today’s homeowners.
For more information about joining CHEP, contact info@homeequitypartnership.org.