FHFA: Refinance Volume Continued to Slow in First Quarter
Washington, D.C. – The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today reported that just over 510,000 refinances were completed in the first quarter of 2017, compared to more than 750,767 in the fourth quarter of 2016. FHFA’s first quarter Refinance Report also shows that 3 percent or 13,425 of the mortgages refinanced from January through March were…
CFPB: Report Finds That 9 in 10 of the Highest-Risk Student Loan Borrowers Were Not Enrolled in Affordable Repayment Plans
Nearly Half of the Highest-Risk Borrowers Not Enrolled in an Affordable Repayment Plan Redefault WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released an analysis of a student loan industry data sample showing that 9 in 10 of the highest-risk borrowers were not enrolled in federal affordable repayment plans. The analysis looks at hundreds…
Federal Reserve: Are Central Cities Poor and Non-White?
By: Jenny Schuetz, Arturo Gonzalez, Jeff Larrimore, Ellen A. Merry, and Barbara J. Robles1 In the U.S., geography has long been viewed as a proxy for income and race. The terms central city or “inner city” are often used as a short-hand for poor and minority neighborhoods, particularly African-American, while suburban dwellers are assumed to be…
CFPB: New Data Documents a Disturbing Cycle of Defaults for Struggling Student Loan Borrowers
New data shows a staggering number of struggling student loan borrowers are trapped in a cycle of default. Last year, nearly 1.2 million borrowers defaulted on a Federal Direct Loan—more than two borrowers every minute. In total, more than 8 million borrowers in the U.S. are in default on a student loan. A default can…
HUD: Rental Assistance Demonstration Generates $4 Billion in Public-Private Investment in Distressed Public Housing
WASHINGTON – Each year, thousands of units of public housing are demolished and thousands more sit vacant because they are no longer decent, safe or sanitary. Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that its Rental Assistance Demonstration officially surpassed $4 billion in capital investment in order to make critical repairs and improvements…
CDFI Fund: Update on CDFI Program and NACA Program Funds Availability for FY 2017 Round
The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) will be awarding up to $196 million under the fiscal year (FY) 2017 round of the Community Development Financial Institutions Program (CDFI Program) and Native American CDFI Assistance Program (NACA Program). This funding was provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (the Act) that was signed into…
ABA: 6 Financial Traps New College Graduates Should Avoid
WASHINGTON — More than 70 percent of college graduates began their career owing more than $37,000 in student loans in 2016. Considering this debt load and other living expenses that lead young adults to delay major life events like getting married or buying a home, it’s critical for new college graduates to focus on their…
CFPB: Request for Information on Small Business Lending
We have issued a Request for Information on the small business lending marketplace. We aim to learn more about how small businesses engage with financial institutions, with a particular focus on women-owned and minority-owned small businesses. Your responses will enhance our current expertise of the small business lending space, and help us as we work…