Predatory Lending
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Race discrimination was a defining feature of the recent subprime lending boom and the economic crisis it spawned. Predatory lending devastated many communities across the country, but it had especially harsh consequences for communities of color. Exploiting a dismal history of residential segregation and housing discrimination, many financial institutions flooded minority communities with toxic loan products. The consequences continue to unfold, with spiking foreclosure rates concentrated in communities of color and the racial wealth gap increasing to historic levels. For these reasons, predatory lending was a major force driving racial disparities in access to economic opportunity. The ACLU Racial Justice Program has used litigation and other forms of advocacy to seek accountability for these abuses, deter future discrimination, and address the ongoing consequences of discrimination by predatory lenders.
Race discrimination was a defining feature of the recent subprime lending boom and the economic crisis it spawned. Predatory lending devastated many communities across the country, but it had especially harsh consequences for communities of color. Exploiting a dismal history of residential segregation and housing discrimination, many financial institutions flooded minority communities with toxic loan products. The consequences continue to unfold, with spiking foreclosure rates concentrated in communities of color and the racial wealth gap increasing to historic levels. For these reasons, predatory lending was a major force driving racial disparities in access to economic opportunity. The ACLU Racial Justice Program has used litigation and other forms of advocacy to seek accountability for these abuses, deter future discrimination, and address the ongoing consequences of discrimination by predatory lenders.