October 31, 2011 — As part of the National Neighbors Silver initiative, John Taylor submitted written testimony to the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging on how older adults are faring in the aftermath of the Great Recession. The testimony sheds light on the silent housing crisis plaguing our aging communities. Mr. Taylor offers recommendations for building economic security and preserving wealth for today's and future generations of retirees.

Download the Testimony

Additional Resources:

• Read the GAO report which served as the basis for the October 18, 2011 hearing sponsored by the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging on the recession and older Americans. GAO - Income Security: The Effect of the 2007-2009 Recession on Older Adults

• Visit the Senate Subcommittee Primary Health and Aging website for a video of the hearing.

Download NCRC's Final Comment Letter to the Federal Reserve on Capital One Acquisition of ING Direct

The Foreclosure Crisis and Its Impact on Communities of Color: Research and Solutions

As the foreclosure crisis continues unabated, destroying wealth for American families and undermining the stability and vibrancy of communities, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition's (NCRC) latest whitepaper serves as an in-depth investigation of the success and weaknesses of the major federal and private foreclosure prevention efforts. The paper also examines proposed solutions to rebuild the homeownership markets. This extensive body of research has a particular focus on the impacts of the foreclosure crisis on people and communities of color. Read the whitepaper online.

Download the white paper

September 20, 2011 -- NCRC President and CEO John Taylor testified today before the Federal Reserve on the Capital One acquisition of ING Direct USA, citing issues like systemic risk, public benefits, the future of community-based banking, and the effectiveness of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Download the Testimony

Download NCRC's August 16, 2011 letter to the Federal Reserve

July 25, 2011 -- NCRC head John Taylor wrote Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke to request that the Federal Reserve hold public hearings in five cities and extend the comment period on the Capital One acquisition of ING Direct USA, citing serious and pervasive concerns about the deal.

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The Impact of the Proposed Qualified Residential Mortgage Definition on Home Opportunity in America

Financial institutions will be exempt from the 5 percent risk retention requirement on certain types of mortgages, known as Qualified Residential Mortgages (QRMs). QRMs contain loan terms and practices that the regulatory agencies have determined are less likely to end up in default. The regulatory agencies have appropriately specified a series of risky loan terms and practices that cannot be in QRMs such as prepayment penalties and a lack documentation of borrower income. However, the agencies have proposed down payment requirements of up to 20 percent for QRMs. This requirement will effectively disqualify large numbers of moderate- and middle-income families from buying homes. The proposed guidelines for debt-to-income ratios are also unduly restrictive and will shut out broad segments of the population.

There's no good reason to require high downpayments. This analysis also reveals that foreclosure rates do not differ substantially between the proposed QRM definition and the alternative definitions. In 2006, for example, QRM loans had a foreclosure rate of .14 percent, but the same loans with down payments as low as 3 percent had a foreclosure rate only inches up to .26 percent. This tiny rate of foreclosure compares to subprime loans that had default rates of over 50%. Read the white paper online.

Download the white paper

Analysis of the Obama Administration's Housing Finance Proposals (1.45mb)

NCRC released its latest report: “Rebuilding Communities in Economic Distress: Local Strategies to Sustain Homeownership, Reclaim Vacant Properties, and Promote Community-Based Employment.” This report will be of interest to local community, housing and economic development entities and their stakeholders, as well as to policy makers at every level looking to replicate best practices in community rebuilding.

This document highlights innovative responses that state and local governments, community-based organizations, financial institutions, and other stakeholders have developed to stabilize their communities, despite a limited access to resources. In addition, a list of best practices is presented as a menu of strategies that stakeholders can incorporate into their redevelopment plans to achieve a sustainable economic recovery.