Charlene Crowell

Civil Rights Groups Ask for Broad Access to Affordable Lending

As the Senate Banking Committee turns its attention to reform the nation’s secondary mortgage market, civil rights leaders recently spoke in a strong and united voice. For these national organizations, the housing finance system must embrace—not abandon—its obligation to provide broad access and affordability in mortgage lending.

CBC report calls for Economic Justice

This year has brought a number of significant developments. A new Congress, the 115th in our nation’s history and similarly the 45th president have together begun a new era of government. From all indications, this new leadership seeks to create public policies and priorities that significantly alter what will remain as a governmental function. From education to environmental stewardship, health care and more, the governing toolbox of executive orders, regulation and legislation are all in use.

Trump’s Budget Blueprint Cuts Close to Home

From youth yearning for the time to have their own place, to older Americans hoping to age in place, the need to have a home is a shared concern of consumers of all ages and locales. It’s where children are raised and memorable moments dwell. It’s also where many people rest, reflect, and shut out the worries of the day.

Fair Lending to be CFPB’s Top Priority in 2017

As a New Year approaches, fair lending will be the priority for the nation’s consumer financial cop on the beat. Mortgage and student loan servicing along with redlining and small business lending will be a triple-focus in 2017 for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Diverse Christian Leaders Call Payday Lending Immoral, Demand Reform

For more than a decade, state and local consumer advocates have challenged triple-digit interest rates on small-dollar loans like payday and car-title. To their combined credit, 14 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws to limit interest and fees to about 36 percent.

Unregulated predatory lending will cause perpetual poverty, says Baptist leader

In plain English, it was a time to publicly debate whether the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) had been good or bad for the country, since opening operations in July 2011. The forum also hearkened back to many of the former supporters and opponents of proposals to reform Wall Street in the aftermath of the worst economic crisis since that of the 1930s.