Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) yesterday announced it would appeal to the Seventh Circuit a U.S. District Judge’s February ruling that dismissed the agency’s suit against Townstone Financial, Inc., a Chicago-area nonbank mortgage lender that the agency alleges violated the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act. CFPB alleged that Townstone Financial...

Utah’s Capital Community and First Electronic Banks and Kentucky’s Republic Bank & Trust accused of predatory lending, evasions of state interest rate limits WASHINGTON, D.C. – A coalition of consumer advocates is urging the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to downgrade the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) rating of three banks. Utah’s Capital Community Bank (CC Bank) and First Electronic Bank...

CRL also urges mortgages servicers to move swiftly in implementing the policy WASHINGTON, D.C. – Financially struggling homeowners who have mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will receive help staying in their homes and affording their mortgages in the coming months. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced yesterday that the Enterprises, which FHFA regulates, will...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Consumer and small business advocacy groups yesterday urged a congressional subcommittee to ensure that entrepreneurs, especially historically underserved entrepreneurs, have fair access to the capital needed to build and grow their businesses. The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), the National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB) and National CAPACD submitted a letter to the Subcommittee on...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled yesterday that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) funding structure is constitutional. This decision comes as the U.S. Supreme Court plans to hear a separate lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the CFPB funding structure in the coming months. “The Second Circuit rightly reaffirmed that CFPB funding is...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development from the U.S. House of Representative holds a hearing today examining the implications of President Biden’s student loan relief policies for borrowers, the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) is releasing its letter to the Subcommittee that states, in part: “The current Administration’s policies go a long way toward...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Friday completed a Final Rule, titled Restoring HUD’s Discriminatory Effects Standard, to help guide implementation of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. “Modern housing discrimination operates below the surface, perniciously narrowing life’s opportunities. The Biden-Harris Administration has correctly recognized that to root out discrimination, we need the strong...

AEI Housing Center and CRL warn of risks similar to lead-up to 2008 housing crisis WASHINGTON, DC – Non-bank lenders are making cash-out refinance mortgage loans guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans Administration (VA) to cash-strapped homeowners – particularly low wealth and veteran borrowers and those in communities of color – that can provide a quick influx...

OAKLAND, CA - The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) proposed new regulations on Friday that would treat Earned Wage Advance (EWA) products as credit and require providers to disclose the true cost of the loan and abide by interest rate caps. The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) and other advocacy organizations have sounded the alarm as predatory...

Predatory Puppy Loans, Rates up to 160% APR, and High Default Rates Justify Lower Grade on Serving Communities’ Credit Needs WASHINGTON, D.C. – A coalition of consumer advocates submitted a letter to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in connection with the agency's Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) examination of FinWise Bank. FinWise Bank’s lending through American First Finance, Elevate, and...