NCRC

Washington, DC — In reaction to the news that Bank of America would launch a principal reduction program, John Taylor, president and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, today made this statement: “Bank of America is to be commended for launching a program to reduce principal balances on loans that are underwater. Principal reduction

Washington, DC – Today the Obama Administration will announce changes to the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) and to FHA. John Taylor, president & CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition made the following statement:

“The Administration has once again shown their willingness to go back to the drawing board to address programmatic challenges. The enhancements announced today will be helpful to unemployed borrowers and some homeowners who find themselves underwater.”

“But I’m not optimistic that the incentives will be enough to entice servicers and investors to reduce loan principals. Will they help seven million people who are at risk of foreclosure? I will be pleasantly shocked if investors step up for half a million borrowers. The real acceleration in the number of foreclosures prevented will come with mandatory principal writedowns.”

“We’ve surveyed housing counselors from the front lines of the foreclosure crisis, and they tell us that the battle is being lost.” said John Taylor, president & CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. “While this administration has been more proactive than the last, Making Home Affordable is simply failing to make enough of a difference relative to the size of the problem. It’s not for lack of good ideas, including more aggressive principal reductions that this crisis has been allowed to continue mostly unabated. The end result, if we don’t get ahead of this problem now, is the ongoing loss of wealth from America’s communities.”

Washington, DC—The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) is pleased to announce the official launch of the Washington, DC Women’s Business Center (WBC) on March 23 at 3 p.m. at the John A. Wilson Building, located at 1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW (room 412). The event will be hosted by the Small Business Administration, the Washington, DC City Council, and NCRC. It will feature remarks from Karen Mills, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration; Kwame Brown, At-large Member of the Washington, DC City Council; and Christina Tchen, Director of the White House Council on Women and Girls.

Seven Community Leaders Are Honored with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition’s

National Achievement Awards

Washington, DC – Hundreds of people from community organizations around the country attended the National Community Reinvestment Coalition’s national conference, March 10-13 in Washington, DC. Attendees heard exciting speeches from Rep. Elijah Cummings, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton and HUD Assistant Secretary John Trasviña and FHA Commissioner Dave Stevens, among other administration officials. NCRC also announced the winners of its esteemed National Achievement Awards. Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. presented the awards to seven community leaders during NCRC’s 20^th anniversary conference on March 12, in Washington, DC. Detailed information about the winners and the awards follows below:

Consumer Financial Protection Agency would be beholden to existing regulators 

Washington, DC – The financial reform proposal that will be introduced by Senator Dodd today creates a weak Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) that will not provide the consumer protection needed in the wake of the financial crisis. NCRC president & CEO, John Taylor, made the following statement relative to the consumer protections in the bill:

“Senator Dodd’s bill fails to ensure a regulatory framework that will provide strong protections for consumers. In particular, placing the CFPA at the Federal Reserve and giving existing financial regulators veto power undermines the goal of protecting consumers. This proposal gives the appearance of providing consumer protection, while leaving the real power in the hands the bank regulatory agencies that failed to protect American consumers because they were too busy listening to Wall Street.”

Current & Former Federal Reserve Consumer Advisory Council Proposes Standalone Consumer Protection Agency

Group of Experts Federal Reserve Relied on for Consumer Advice Says Strong Consumer Protection Won’t Happen Without Independent Agency

Washington, DC – Nineteen current and former members of the Federal Reserve’s Consumer Advisory Council (CAC) today sent a letter to Senator Dodd calling for a standalone Consumer Financial Protection Agency not housed at the Federal Reserve or any other banking regulatory agency. Considering the failure of the agencies, "We think it would be imprudent to give the Federal Reserve or any other existing agency primary consumer protection responsibilities," says the letter. "The Federal Reserve has its hands full with responsibilities relating to safety and soundness and monetary policy. Consumers will be served only by having the CFPA as an independent agency where the primary responsibility is consumer protection. We urge you reconsider your proposal for the CFPA to be within any other agency."

Burden To Borrower Is Modest & Ensures Access To Responsible Credit

Washington DC — David Berenbaum, Chief Program Officer, National Community Reinvestment Coalition, issued the following statement today about the Federal Housing Administration’s changes to its mortgage program:

“The changes announced today by the FHA represent an attempt to navigate a prudent course without negatively impacting access to credit or contributing to a further slowing of the housing market in communities of color. While borrowers will bear more of the costs of the government insurance program through higher premium charges, the additional revenue will help ensure that FHA stays solvent. The burden to the individual borrower is modest and should ensure, overall, that borrowers have access to responsible credit. While some less credit worthy borrowers will need higher down payments, this is a necessary move in markets where a decline in home value can wipe out a new buyer’s equity within weeks after the settlement.