Research

On October 28, 2021, the Center for Responsible Lending and the United Negro College Fund hosted a virtual discussion highlighting how the COVID-19 crisis has affected Black students nationwide due to our nation’s ongoing systemic racism. The talk highlighted new findings that reveal how the experiences of Black student loan borrowers from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) differ from...

This proposal for a national Down Payment Assistance (DPA) program was developed by the Center for Responsible Lending and the National Fair Housing Alliance from the perspective of providing the U.S. Congress with a framework for establishing a Targeted Downpayment Assistance Program to close the wealth and homeownership gaps. However, the elements of this proposal can be adapted for use...

Saving for a mortgage down payment is a significant barrier to homeownership that particularly hits communities of color. We calculate how long it would take for a typical renter household to save for a mortgage down payment and closing costs for a median-priced house (“Years to Save”) and further disaggregate these calculations by race/ethnicity, household type, location, and occupation. We...

Key points from the poll results include: Download a one-page summary of the results. As a result of the COVID 19 crisis, payments have been paused for federal student loan borrowers nationwide until at least September 2021 Almost one in three 28 Minnesota borrowers are not confident that they will be able to resume payments on their student loans when...

“Oportun,” is almost a translation of the Spanish word for “opportunity,” but is a few letters shy of the full word: oportunidad. Unfortunately, Oportun’s practices leave people questioning just how much financial opportunity consumers receive as a result of using these products. “Partner with us today to build a better tomorrow.” “We’re committed to our community.” These messages and other...

Even before COVID-19, student loan borrowers struggled under the weight of more than $1.6 trillion in debt. One in four borrowers was in default or serious delinquency, and many worried about their ability to make student loan payments while covering other basic needs. Because of decades of structural inequities and discrimination, student loans have burdened Black and Latino borrowers more...

Over 800,000 self-employed people were behind on their student debt before the pandemic and may be ineligible or have the perception that they are ineligible for the relief they need to survive in a faltering economy. Because of structural inequities including racial wealth disparities, ongoing discrimination in the labor market, and inadequate funding for colleges that well serve higher numbers...

Key points from the poll results include: Forty-five percent of NC student loan borrowers report a decrease in their household income since the onset of COVID-19, with the most severe impact hitting borrowers who earn less than $50,000 per year (55% reporting a decrease). Seventy-three percent of NC student loan borrowers report that their student loans cause them stress. Additionally...

Even before COVID-19, student loan borrowers struggled under the weight of more than $1.6 trillion in debt. One in four borrowers was in default or serious delinquency, and many worried about their ability to make student loan payments while covering other basic needs. Because of decades of structural inequities and discrimination, student loans have burdened Black and Latino borrowers more...

Through this poll we explore the financial impacts of COVID-19 on Pennsylvanians. The poll was conducted in June 2020 among a national sample of 415 Pennsylvania student loan borrowers in repayment.