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Woodstock calls on federal banking regulator to scrutinize tax refund lending
Written by Tom Feltner   
September 03, 2008
As a major tax refund lender seeks to change charters, the Office of Thrift Supervision needs to hold a hearing to give the public a chance to tell its side of the story about high cost refund anticipation lending.
 
New policies needed to get lender-owned properties back into productive use
Written by Tom Feltner   
August 19, 2008
The five key issues that must be addressed to reduce the neighborhood impact of lender-owned properties as investors shun Chicago region foreclosure auctions.
 
Woodstock Institute Applauds House Committee Approval of the Credit Cardholders’ Bill Of Rights
Written by Tom Feltner   
August 05, 2008
“Bait and switch clauses, double-cycle billing, and cut-off times designed to rack up late fees––these are the practices that are specifically prohibited by H.R. 5244,” said Woodstock President Dory Rand.
 
Needed: Local commitment to national credit card reform
Written by Dory Rand   
July 30, 2008

What kind of contract can be changed at any time for any reason by one party often to the detriment of the other?  Credit card contracts, but hopefully not for much longer.

 
Fed overdraft loan proposal is one step forward, one step back
Written by Tom Feltner   
July 28, 2008
Loans at as much as 2,500 percent will still be business as usual for nearly every major financial institution, with most bank customers automatically, and often unknowingly, enrolled.
 
Basic Banking Needs HMDA-Like Rules
Written by Dory Rand   
July 25, 2008
Without a doubt, a new financial services disclosure act, enacted by Congress and incorporating what has worked in the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, is sorely needed. Most nonmortgage lending data is still collected by myriad state agencies. Tracking foreclosures, certainly a national concern, is still a strictly local affair.
 
FDIC proposal would expand branch services to school financial literacy programs
Written by Tom Feltner   
July 11, 2008
A recent proposal by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) would allow many smaller state banks to participate or assist in financial education programs conducted on school premises, including the receipt of deposits, payment of checks, or lending of money.
 
Woodstock Institute Board of Directors Appoints Dory M. Rand President after National Search
Written by Tom Feltner   
June 18, 2008
The Board of Directors of Woodstock Institute is pleased to announce the appointment of Dory M. Rand as its sixth president. 
 
“Dory Rand brings a wealth of community reinvestment knowledge and proven ability to shape financial services policy to promote real world benefits for lower-income people,” says Woodstock Institute Chairperson Ada Skyles.

 
Foreclosures could impact between 9,644 and 28,923 rental housing units in Chicago
Written by Tom Feltner   
June 18, 2008

Foreclosures on multi-family buildings are clearly a problem, and on an even larger scale than suggested in a recent Chicago Tribune article (Foreclosure’s Hidden Victims,” June 8, 2008).

 
Ohio moves to cap payday loan rates, action needed to protect Illinois borrowers
Written by Tom Feltner   
May 19, 2008
 
The Ohio General Assembly passed legislation last week that would cap interest rates on payday loans at 28 percent – following several other states that have taken steps to drastically curtail the triple digit interest rates charged by payday installment lenders.

 
Fed listens to community input and announces public meeting on Countrywide acquisition
Written by Tom Feltner   
March 27, 2008

The Federal Reserve announced Thursday March 27, that it will hold public meetings on the acquisition of Countrywide Financial by Bank of America and extend the public comment period by 30 days.

 
Federal Reserve Should Hold Public Hearing on Countrywide Purchase
Written by Tom Feltner   
March 19, 2008

The Federal Reserve should hold public hearings on the proposed acquisition of Countrywide Financial by Bank of America.  It should also extend the public comment period thirty days to give stakeholders the opportunity to review the company's lending data, to be released April 1, 2008.

 
Thirty-Five Percent of Mortgages in Foreclosure in 2007 Were Originated Just One Year Earlier
Written by Geoff Smith   
March 04, 2008

Mortgages that went into foreclosure in 2007 were predominantly from loans originated since 2005. Over 35 percent of 2007 foreclosure filings were of mortgages originated in 2006. Nearly 28 percent of foreclosure filings were of mortgages originated in 2005. Perhaps most surprisingly, roughly 4.5 percent of 2007 foreclosed mortgages originated in 2007.

 
Systematic mortgage restructuring plan promises modest but worthwhile impact
Written by Tom Feltner   
December 11, 2007
 
The recently announced White House plan to offer systematic interest rate relief for some borrowers with adjustable rate mortgages about to reset to a higher rate is a modest, but worthwhile approach to a growing crisis.
 
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Woodstock Institute Board of Directors Appoints Dory M. Rand President after National Search

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Many borrower’s unaware of mortgage inte...
great information. Keep up the good work. I am a mortgage protection specialist and this information is a great tool for the chicago community I serve...
Woodstock Institute releases study docum...
A nice and great release.It can be helpful in many problems. Hope many people will come here and know about this good release. Credit Card Debt
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