Consent Order Regarding HomeTown Lending Partners, LLC

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IN THE MATTER OF: * * HOMETOWN LENDING * CONSENT ORDER PARTNERS, LLC * NMLS # 171236 * * (“HomeTown”) * *

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WHEREAS, the Banking Commissioner (“Commissioner”) is charged with the administration of Part I of Chapter 668, Sections 36a-485 to 36a-534b, inclusive, of the Connecticut General Statutes, “Mortgage Lenders, Correspondent Lenders, Brokers and Loan Originators”; WHEREAS, HomeTown is an Illinois limited liability company that is currently licensed as a mortgage broker under Part I of Chapter 668, Sections 36a-485 et seq., of the Connecticut General Statutes; WHEREAS, Section 36a-490(b)(2) of the Connecticut General Statutes, requires that a mortgage broker licensee file with the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry (“NMLS”) a change of the address of its main office at least thirty (30) calendar days prior to such change, and provide directly to the Commissioner a bond rider or endorsement, or addendum, as applicable, to the surety bond on file with the Commissioner that reflects the new address of the main office; WHEREAS, HomeTown failed to file with NMLS a change of address of its main office, previously located at 1700 East Golf Road Suite 100, Schaumburg, Illinois, currently located at 500 Park Boulevard, Suite 156C, Itasca, Illinois, at least (30) calendar days prior to such change, and failed to

• 2 - provide a bond rider or endorsement, or addendum, as applicable, to the surety bond on file with the Commissioner; WHEREAS, the Commissioner believes that such allegation would support initiation of proceedings against HomeTown, which proceedings would constitute a “contested case” within the meaning of Section 4-166(4) of the Connecticut General Statutes; WHEREAS, Section 4-177(c) of the Connecticut General Statutes and Section 36a-1-55(a) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies provide that a contested case may be resolved by consent order, unless precluded by law; WHEREAS, HomeTown, through its execution of this Consent Order, voluntarily agrees to waive its procedural rights, including a right to a notice and an opportunity for a hearing as it pertains to the allegation set forth herein, voluntarily agrees to consent to the entry of the sanction imposed below and voluntarily waives its right to seek judicial review or otherwise challenge or contest the validity of this Consent Order; WHEREAS, HomeTown acknowledges that this Consent Order is a public record and is a reportable event for purposes of NMLS, as applicable; AND WHEREAS, HomeTown herein represents to the Commissioner that it has reviewed and updated its internal policies, procedures and controls to ensure that HomeTown will file any change it makes to its name or any trade name or any address of any office specified on its most recent filing with NMLS at least thirty (30) calendar days prior to such change and, in connection with such change, HomeTown will provide directly to the Commissioner a bond rider or endorsement, or addendum, as applicable, to the surety bond on file with the Commissioner that reflects such change.

• 3 - CONSENT TO ENTRY OF SANCTION WHEREAS, HomeTown, through its execution of this Consent Order, consents to the Commissioner’s entry of a Consent Order imposing the following sanction: No later than the date this Consent Order is executed by HomeTown, it shall remit to the Department of Banking by electronic funds transfer, cashier’s check, certified check or money order made payable to “Treasurer, State of Connecticut”, the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500) as a civil penalty. CONSENT ORDER NOW THEREFORE, the Commissioner enters the following:

1. The Sanction set forth above be and is hereby entered;
2. Upon issuance of this Consent Order by the Commissioner, this matter will be resolved and the Commissioner will not take any future enforcement action against HomeTown based upon the allegation contained herein; provided that issuance of this Consent Order is without prejudice to the right of the Commissioner to take enforcement action against HomeTown based upon a violation of this Consent Order or the matters underlying its entry, if the Commissioner determines that compliance with the terms herein is not being observed or if any representation made by HomeTown and reflected herein is subsequently discovered to be untrue;
3. HomeTown shall not take any action or make or permit to be made any public statement, including in regulatory filings or otherwise, denying, directly or indirectly, any allegation referenced in this Consent Order or create the impression that this Consent Order is without factual basis;
4. Subject to the foregoing, and so long as this Consent Order is promptly disclosed by HomeTown and its control persons, as applicable, on NMLS, nothing in the issuance of this Consent Order shall adversely affect the ability of HomeTown to apply for or obtain licenses or renewal licenses under Part I of Chapter 668, Sections 36a-485 et seq., of the Connecticut General Statutes, provided all applicable legal requirements for such license are satisfied and the terms of this Consent Order are followed;
5. This Consent Order shall be binding upon HomeTown and its successors and assigns; and
6. This Consent Order shall become final when issued. Issued at Hartford, Connecticut, this 28th day of February 2022. /s/_____________________________________ Jorge L. Perez Banking Commissioner

• 4 - I, Michael T. Collins, state on behalf of HomeTown Lending Partners, LLC, that I have read the foregoing Consent Order; that I know and fully understand its contents; that I am authorized to execute this Consent Order on behalf of HomeTown Lending Partners, LLC; that HomeTown Lending Partners, LLC agrees freely and without threat or coercion of any kind to comply with the sanction entered and terms and conditions ordered herein; and that HomeTown Lending Partners, LLC voluntarily agrees to enter into this Consent Order, expressly waiving the procedural rights set forth herein as to the matters described herein. By: /s/_______________________________ Name: Michael T. Collins Title: Managing Member HomeTown Lending Partners, LLC State of: Illinois County of: Cook On this the 25 day of February 2022, before me, Michael T. Collins, the undersigned officer, personally appeared before me, who acknowledged himself/herself to be the Managing Member of HomeTown Lending Partners, LLC, a limited liability company, and that he/she as such Managing Member, being authorized so to do, executed the foregoing instrument for the purposes therein contained, by signing the name of the limited liability company by himself/herself as Managing Member. In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand. /s/_______________________________ Notary Public – Kerry E Kilpatrick Date Commission Expires: 03/26/2023