Ohio's Payday Problem

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Jeremy Nobile | Crain's Cleveland Business
Auto title loans are very similar to payday loans in their terms, except the former uses a borrower's vehicle as collateral in the deal. According to a study from the nonprofit Center for Responsible Lending, some 60% of all short-term lending shops in Ohio offered both payday and auto title loans.

Give All Creditworthy Borrowers Mortgage Loans, Regardless of Race

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Nikitra Bailey | American Banker
As Black History Month observances continue throughout the nation, now is an apt time to revisit the unmet housing finance challenges that affect African-Americans, other consumers of color and low-income whites. While many consumers have felt an economic recovery, many others remain locked out of homeownership and the resulting opportunity to build wealth through home equity. In order to open...

Obama Fair-Lending Policy was No Overreach

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Chris Kukla | American Banker
In a Feb. 9 BankThink article discussing a path forward for the Department of Justice’s civil rights division under President Trump, Paul Hancock claims that the Obama administration pursued too many fair-lending claims against banks and lenders, exceeding the statutory bounds of fair lending enforcement. In his view, these cases lacked adequate proof. But his op-ed overlooked clear evidence that...

Congress Wants to Get Rid of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

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Carolyn M. Brown | Black Enterprise
Both proposals would leave families vulnerable to financial abuse and risk bringing back a financial crisis, says the Center for Responsible Lending’s Policy Counsel Yana Miles. “Passing either of these bills will revert us back to an era of reckless lending behaviors that led us to the Great Recession,” she said, in a statement. “The pernicious bill to undermine CFPB’s...

Appeals Court Aids CFPB In Constitutionality Case, But Adds A Twist

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Kate Berry | American Banker
Consumer advocates and civil rights groups praised the D.C. Circuit's order. "The court’s decision to hear the petition is a step in the right direction. We need a strong and independent CFPB agency and director now more than ever,” said Mike Calhoun, president of the Center for Responsible Lending.

Why is Marin County So White?

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Ericka Cruz Guevarra | KQED
A report from the Center for Responsible Lending found that people of color in California who can afford to move into expensive neighborhoods typically choose not to. Instead, they mostly still choose to live in low-income, majority-minority neighborhoods.

Republicans Launch Bicameral Salvos Against Wall Street Watchdog

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Andrea Germanos | Common Dreams
Michael Calhoun, president of the Center for Responsible Lending, argued last month that, "If predatory lenders succeed in undermining Director Cordray and the CFPB, we will revert back to lax financial regulations. This will signal that it is once again open season on consumers. It could also cause yet another painful economic crisis caused by big banks and predatory lending...