This edition of Woodstock Developments proposes new ideas for tax preparation, shows the dangers of high-cost payday installment loans, recognizes community investment leaders, and gives an overview of new foreclosure prevention initiatives.

In this edition, Dory Rand advocates to restore funding for housing counselors, leaders propose solutions to the vacant property problem, we argue that principal writedowns could substantially curb new foreclosures, the West Cook County Housing Collaborative breaks ground on a NSP apartment complex, and more.

In this edition of Woodstock Developments, Dory Rand urges banks to help prepaid card consumers build wealth, retirement insecurity is on the rise in Illinois, conventional mortgages comprise a growing percentage of new foreclosures in Chicago, negative equity disproportionately impacts the Chicago region's communities of color, and more.

In this edition, Woodstock President Dory Rand reflects on the 2013 NCRC Annual Conference, Woodstock releases a report on disparities in mortgage lending for women in the Chicago region and submits comments on private student loan affordability, and Sen. Durbin introduces a bill to cap interest rates at 46 percent. 

This edition of Woodstock Developments discusses why we need to modernize the Community Reinvestment Act, celebrates the passage of protections from debt settlement companies in Illinois, analyzes June HAMP numbers, and applauds the IRS for no longer helping refund anticipation loan providers underwrite loans.

In this issue of Woodstock Developments, President Dory Rand reflects on the year's accomplishments and outlines what more needs to be done. We recap events that brought leaders together to come up with solutions to credit barriers, showcased a journalist's call for a criminal investigation of financial crisis players, and a Grinch's warning to payday loan consumers.

In this edition of Woodstock Developments, Dory Rand profiles Ocwen's successful shared equity principal reduction program, Cook County approves ordinance requiring servicers to maintain vacant homes, the FHFA seeks to block servicer vacant property maintenance standards in Chicago, and more.

This edition of Woodstock Developments covers new research on foreclosures and refund anticipation loans, details Woodstock's participation in a French meeting on community reinvestment issues, and advocates for reforms in refund anticipation loan policy.

In this edition, we discuss the future of housing finance, trace Chicago area foreclosure trends, highlight tools for condominium foreclosures, and more.

In this edition of Woodstock Developments, Dory Rand expresses her cautious optimism for 2013, completed foreclosures skyrocket in the Chicago area, Cook County establishes the country's largest land bank, Woodstock co-hosts a forum on single-family rental housing, and more.