Research

There are more than 2,400 payday lending stores in California in 2008, more than all Starbucks and McDonald's combined. California borrowers took out more than 10 million payday loans in 2006, totaling $2.5 billion. Payday fees strip $405 million from payday borrowers annually. Payday loans are small, short-term loans secured by the borrower's personal check. The typical two-week loan is...

After years of industry-blocked efforts to strengthen lending standards, the growth in reckless lending and abusive practices has left California facing a foreclosure crisis with catastrophic consequences for families, communities, and the California economy as a whole. California needs policy reforms to stem the tide of foreclosures, and to tighten lending standards to prevent a repeat of this foreclosure crisis...

Our nation's current economic crisis was driven by, among other things, three significant shortcomings in the mortgage system: 1) loose or nonexistent underwriting standards; 2) misplaced financial incentives that created conflicts between industry profits and borrowers' interests; and 3) lack of accountability among industry players for loan quality or performance. Given this systemic failure, the State should step in to...

Cost Climbs to $1.9 trillion during 2009-2012, with 92 million homeowners losing $20,300 on average This is CRL's third report on the spillover impact of mortgage foreclosures. This new report is based on new CRL projections of 2.4 million foreclosures for all loans (not just subprime) in 2009, and 9.0 million during 2009-2012. This report also reflects a somewhat more...

On March 1, 2006, Attorney General Roy Cooper announced that the last three major out-of-state payday lenders had agreed to stop making illegal loans in North Carolina. As a result, working families in the state will save almost $100 million each year -- money they can use to buy food, pay their bills, and balance their family budget. Related Resources...

In this report, we estimate how many homes—including families who are paying their mortgage on time—will suffer a decline in property values because of foreclosures in their neighborhoods. We also estimate how much the average family will lose in home equity, and how much of an impact the foreclosure crisis will have on city and county coffers.

Session Law (pdf) Frequently Asked Questions House Bill 1374, the "Protect Homeowners & Reduce Foreclosures" law, passed unanimously in both the North Carolina House and Senate and was signed into law by Governor Easley on August 16, 2007. This law makes the foreclosure process fairer and helps protect NC homeowners from abusive practices by the companies that collect and process...

Session Law (pdf) Frequently Asked Questions House Bill 1374, the "Protect Homeowners & Reduce Foreclosures" law, passed unanimously in both the North Carolina House and Senate and was signed into law by Governor Easley on August 16, 2007. This law makes the foreclosure process fairer and helps protect NC homeowners from abusive practices by the companies that collect and process...