Research & Policy

First, we note that the affordable housing goals are part of the FHFA’s clearly laid out mission to reach underserved communities and that increasing access to mortgage credit in these communities is essential to the housing recovery. Second, we recommend that the FHFA maintain the two-part test, and strongly urge that the FHFA set a higher benchmark standard and require...

Before the Joint Hearing of the California Assembly Select Committee on Youth and California’s Future and Assembly Banking and Finance Committee Graciela Aponte-Diaz presented the following information in her testimony: First, a snapshot of student loan borrowers, nationally and here in California; Second, highlight major issues with student loan servicing; and Finally, I’d like to provide some policy recommendations for...

The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), and New Economy Project filed an amicus brief in Roberts v. Capital One Financial Corporation, in support of the plaintiff, Tawanna M. Roberts, against Capital One’s misleading overdraft fee practice. In the brief, submitted earlier this month, the group urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit...

These comments respond to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s proposed amendments to the qualified-mortgage (QM) rule as it relates to 1) the importance of the QM rule, 2) why the constrained lending environment is due to factors other than QM, and 3) why they should be addressed rather than weakening QM, 4) our analysis of CFPB’s proposed evaluation, and 5)...

Payday lending involves small‐dollar, high‐interest loans that trap consumers into a long‐term cycle of debt and fees. Payday lenders tout themselves as a needed service providing access to emergency credit. However, with weak underwriting and ability to repay standards, the payday loan model creates a debt trap that is easy to get into, but extremely difficult to escape. Each year...

Dear Coalition Supporters, Last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released its final rule to rein in arbitration abuses and improve access to the judicial system for all consumers. This week, US House and Senate members have introduced Congressional Review Act (CRA) Resolutions to overturn this CFPB rule. We expect the US House to vote on its CRA resolution...

During their evening news, Portland’s KBOO interviewed CRL Senior Policy Counsel Melissa Stegman on forced arbitration clauses. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently issued a rule that prohibits financial contracts from forcing consumers into arbitration and blocking consumers from pursuing a class action suit against the company. Powerful Members of Congress are fast-tracking legislation to repeal the rule – which...

For the fifth consecutive year, a poll conducted by Lake Research Partners and Chesapeake Beach Consulting shows overwhelming and bipartisan support among likely voters for regulation and oversight of the financial services industry. Backing from Republicans is at historic highs. Voters also believe that Wall Street's influence in Washington is high and growing under the Trump administration, and are wary...

Banks once drained $500 million from customers annually by trapping them in harmful payday loans. In 2013, six banks were making triple-digit interest payday loans, structured just like loans made by storefront payday lenders. The bank repaid itself the loan in full directly from the borrower’s next incoming direct deposit, typically wages or Social Security, along with annual interest averaging...

Dear Coalition Supporters, This update discusses serious threats from the federal level to our NC protections against predatory lending as well as several positive actions in NC and nationally. It includes recent developments about payday lending, student lending, housing finance reform and the new arbitration ban. And it discusses the threat of Congress dismantling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)...

Watch Scott Astrada's opening statement and the entire hearing:

The Center for Responsible Lending, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, NAACP, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, National Fair Housing Alliance, and National Urban League file this comment in response to Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's (the Enterprises) proposed Underserved Markets Plans. Thank you for the opportunity to provide input on the Enterprises’ plans. The...

The Center for Responsible Lending, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, NAACP, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, National Fair Housing Alliance, and National Urban League file this comment in response to Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's (the Enterprises) proposed Underserved Markets Plans. (pdf) Thank you for the opportunity to provide input on the Enterprises’ plans...

On Thursday, June 28th, Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) President Mike Calhoun testified before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for a hearing entitled "Principles of Housing Finance Reform." In his written testimony, he stated that the "goal must be to ensure that the full universe of credit worthy borrowers – regardless of where they live, including...

The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) sent a letter to House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) rebutting the committee’s majority staff report criticizing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) role in investigating Wells Fargo’s fraudulent account scheme.

The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) filed this comment in response to FHFA's proposed evaluation guidance for the Duty to Serve Rule. The evaluation guidance is the method for FHFA to assess Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's (the Enterprises) Duty to Serve Underserved Markets Plans. The strength and clarity of the evaluation guidance will greatly inform the Enterprises' plans. A...

Last week, calls were made to eliminate the GSE affordable housing goals as a means to move forward legislation to reform the secondary housing finance market. This misguided attempt is not new, and it would harm creditworthy borrowers who cannot access the mortgage credit they deserve, deny them their chance at the American Dream of homeownership, and weaken our nation’s...

The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) opposition letter details the many dangerous aspects of the bill.

Students at Maine’s for-profit colleges carry higher levels of debt, borrow in higher percentages, and have worse repayment rates on that debt compared to their peers at public and private non-profit institutions. Because African Americans, females, and low-income students are disproportionately enrolled in Maine’s for-profit colleges, these poor outcomes fall more heavily on these vulnerable subgroups. This report uses the...

Despite significant concerns raised by a number of interested parties—including hundreds of advocacy groups, state regulators, and a bipartisan group of Members of Congress—the OCC is moving forward with its fintech charter proposal. This comment letter asserts that the OCC does not have the legal authority to charter non-depositories, that a national bank charter for non-depository fintech institutions will facilitate...

This proposal was created by the undersigned consumer and civil rights groups in response to the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs’ (Banking Committee) request for proposals to foster economic growth. The proposals revolve around 1) promoting responsible, sustainable homeownership and other responsible lending products for borrowers from low-and moderate income (LMI) households, communities of color...

On Tuesday, March 28, Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) President Mike Calhoun testified before the House Financial Services Committee's Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee for a hearing entitled "The State of Bank Lending in America." He discussed recent trends in lending and how the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act has made the financial industry more accountable...

Students at Connecticut’s for-profit colleges graduate at lower rates than their peers at public and private non-profit institutions. Those who do graduate carry higher levels of debt and higher default rates on that debt. Because African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately enrolled in Connecticut’s for-profit colleges, these poor outcomes fall more heavily on people of color. This report uses the...

The OIRA Insight, Reform, and Accountability Act is portrayed as a mere codification of previous Executive Orders, but in fact it further undermines the rulemaking process. It would codify the numerous burdensome requirements contained in the orders– many of which are biased against protecting the public, vague, and in some cases mutually inconsistent — and would have the disastrous effect...

H.R. 1004 will significantly undermine federal agencies’ ability to engage and inform the public in a meaningful and transparent way regarding its work on important science-based rulemakings that will greatly benefit the public. As a result, the bill will lead to decreased public awareness and participation in the rulemaking process in direct contradiction of the Administrative Procedure Act and agencies’...