NCRC

NCRC Once Again Calls For Mandate on Bank Loan Modifications

Efforts to keep Americans in their homes sink, as industry lobbyists work to kill efforts to remedy the damage caused by financial crisis

Washington, DC – As Wall Street bonus season begins, the foreclosure crisis continues into its fourth year largely unabated; last year saw ten straight months of over 300,000 foreclosure filings, and a cumulative 2.8 million homes that went into foreclosure last year, according to Realty Trac. Today’s news that only 66,000 borrowers have received permanent loan modifications under the federal Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) confirm that the existing responses to the foreclosure crisis can not keep pace with the number of Americans losing their homes. Meanwhile, financial lobbyists continue to fight against strong measures to provide effective oversight of the financial system and mitigate the damage caused by reckless and irresponsible lending and securitization practices, even as their CEOs told the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission on Wednesday that they support financial regulation.

Coalition of community organizations says HAMP must be revamped; renews call for more aggressive foreclosure prevention efforts

December 8, 2009 

Washington, DC – The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) today said that the government-sponsored Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) is not working, and more aggressive loan modification efforts are necessary to stem the foreclosure crisis. The number of loan modifications made permanent under the program is believed to be in the tens of thousands, compared to the 300,000+ loans that are entering foreclosure each month. As the Obama Administration continues their push to create jobs and further stimulate the economy, the ongoing foreclosure crisis threatens to impede economic growth for years to come, as pay-option adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), Home Equity Lines of Credit and commercial loans add to the already massive foreclosure numbers.

November 10, 2009  

Washington, DC – Senator Dodd, Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, today introduced a financial reform bill that would establish a robust Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA), empowered to enforce the Community Reinvestment Act. Creating an agency whose sole mission is to protect consumers within the financial markets is critical in light of the impact of the financial crisis: More than 300,000 homes are going into foreclosure each month, small businesses cannot get the credit they need, and unemployment has risen above 10%. The Senate now has the opportunity to pass robust legislation that is in line with the President’s proposal. The House Financial Services Committee bowed to pressure from the financial services industry and passed a weak bill.

Washington, DC – The financial reform legislation that would establish a Consumer Financial Protection Agency has been severely weakened by Congress, which has bowed to the financial industry’s multi-million dollar lobbying campaign. The bill contains loopholes, exemptions and other weaknesses that undermine its ability to protect consumers or prevent another meltdown of the financial system. The failure of the legislation to ensure strong consumer protections is especially troublesome considering the impact the financial crisis has had: more than 300,000 homes going into foreclosure each month, unemployment approaching 10%, and more than 2.5 million people falling into poverty last year. H.R. 3126 is expected to be voted on by the House Financial Services Committee tomorrow.

Washington, DC – The National Community Reinvestment Coalition said the following on the President’s speech today on financial regulatory reform:

“We applaud the President’s necessary leadership on financial reform. Clearly, the President felt it necessary today to speak out against the weakening of the bill. Unfortunately, the damage from corporate lobbying in Congress may have already been done,” said John Taylor, president and CEO of NCRC.  “We thought Senator Durbin made an apt and figurative statement when he said that the banks owned Congress, but perhaps his comment was meant to be literal. Today’s speech should embolden members of Congress seeking to make the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) strong. Unfortunately, the ability of the proposed CFPA to protect the most financially vulnerable individuals and communities has already been undermined by substantial changes to the bill.”

Washington, DC – On the eve of the G-20 meetings, experts from responsible lending coalitions in the United States and Europe today urged world leaders to embrace strong financial reform to protect consumers and prevent another global recession. Banks and regulators are making credit harder to get for poor consumers and communities across the globe. In response, a movement to ensure that responsible lending, consistent with sand soundness concerns, continues to reach low-wealth communities is expanding. 
 

Washington, DC – The National Community Reinvestment Coalition today criticized changes to H.R. 3126, the House proposal to create a Consumer Financial Protection Agency, released in a memo by Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank. The bill introduced in July left communities of color and other financially vulnerable populations behind from the beginning when it left out enforcement of the Community Reinvestment Act, the law that addresses access to credit and financial services at a community level, from the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency. The proposed compromise further undermines provisions that would have protected lower-income populations and communities of color. Failure to address lending at a community level leaves financially vulnerable communities open to the same predatory lending practices that led to the current crisis.

Washington, DC – The credit union industry lags banks at meeting the credit needs of low- and moderate- income and minority communities according to a new NCRC report “Credit Unions: True to Their Mission, Part II.” The report found that credit unions underperformed banks on 64% of lending indicators designed to measure the provision of financial services to low- and moderate- income and minority people and communities. The findings reinforce the need to improve oversight of credit unions, to ensure that they more equitably meet the credit needs of all populations. It also reinforces the need to apply coverage of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to credit unions.

Washington, DC – The Community Reinvestment Act is one of the most important tools for building wealth and revitalizing neighborhoods— that’s the message of leading experts testifying before the House Financial Services Committee (HFSC) today at the hearing on “Proposals to Enhance the Community Reinvestment Act.” Expansion of CRA is on HFSC Chairman Barney Frank’s agenda this year, and is supported by a broad coalition of municipal leaders, civil rights advocates, and housing organizations, led by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. Nearly 130 mayors and the U.S. Conference of Mayors have also signed a resolution supporting expansion of CRA.

Click here to view the entire statement as a .pdf

Washington, DC – One year ago, the Lehman Brothers investment bank failed. That event resulted in the largest bailout of the financial services industry in history. To date, more than $23 trillion dollars has been provided in investments, loans and guarantees, according to the Special Inspector General overseeing the bailout. But the core problem that triggered the crisis has yet to be fully addressed. Until the home foreclosure crisis has been addressed, the banking system and the economy will remain largely crippled.