PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO PREDATORY LENDING

In 2001, CCL brought together 150 community investment practitioners, advocates, and government experts to address the problem of predatory lending; their findings were published as “Juntos Podemos: Together We Can.” Former Senate Banking Chairman Paul Sarbanes distributed copies of this report to all the Senators on that committee, and asked that the symposium report be provided to the 50 states’ Attorneys General. The Federal Reserve Board also requested 1,000 copies. Click here to read the report.

In 2004, CCL convened a second symposium to evaluate progress in eradicating predatory lending and efforts to increase the flow of private capital to low and moderate income communities on fair terms. CCL published the findings of its 2004 symposium as “Together We Can, Again,” which like its predecessor, was provided to government officials, advocates, and community development non-profit providers. Click here to read the report.

In 2009, CCL also sponsored “In Defense of CRA: Making the Case for Community Investment”, a compendium of commentary and opinion pieces defending the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). To read the report, click here.

MULTI-BANK LENDING CONSORTIA

CCL also sponsored studies of major non-profit lending consortia: the Alabama Multifamily Housing Consortium, the Community Investment Corporation of Chicago, the Community Preservation Corporation, which serves the New York City area, and the Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation. The reports quantified the impact of these consortia on low income communities. Drafts of the reports have been shared with bank regulators and Members of Congress.

The reports and consortia loan origination and underwriting documents were also provided to assist the Bush Administration’s Katrina Recovery efforts and to the Louisiana organizations involved in rebuilding.

CCL promotes community lending, the revitalization of distressed neighborhoods and communities, the elimination of discrimination in lending, the equality of opportunity for access to credit, and the expansion of the availability of credit to serve low income persons and families.

For a presentation on Financing Small Multifamily Rental Housing, click here.