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In late September, the CFPB and DOJ announced a proposed consent order with Hudson City Savings Bank to settle allegations that the bank had engaged in a pattern or practice of redlining in its residential mortgage lending.  The settlement represents the largest federal court settlement for redlining in history as measured by loan subsidies provided to consumers.… Continue Reading

Consistent with recent indications from CFPB and Department of Justice officials that more redlining cases would soon be coming, the CFPB and DOJ have announced a proposed consent order with Hudson City Savings Bank to settle allegations that the bank had engaged in a pattern or practice of redlining predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in its residential mortgage lending.… Continue Reading

CFPB guidance on ability to repay, immigration status, and fair lending creates a difficult compliance dilemma for creditors.

The CFPB’s June 5, 2026 statement on “Ability to Repay and Immigration Status” presents creditors with a difficult, and potentially unprecedented, compliance dilemma. The Bureau says that when creditors are required to assess a consumer’s ability to repay, they may, and in some circumstances may be required to, consider information about the consumer’s immigration status if that information bears on the consumer’s current or reasonably expected future income.… Continue Reading

As expected, advocacy groups and private companies have filed a lawsuit challenging the CFPB’s recent final rule (Final Rule) revising Regulation B, which implements the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). The lawsuit was filed in the federal district court for the District of Columbia by the National Fair Housing Alliance, Rise Economy (fka California Reinvestment Coalition), BLDS, LLC and SolasAI.… Continue Reading

Today’s episode of the Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast features a wide-ranging and timely discussion about one of the most consequential fair lending developments in years: the CFPB’s final rule fundamentally reshaping enforcement under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and Regulation B.

Hosted by Alan Kaplinsky (the Founder, Chair for 25 years and now Senior Counsel of the Consumer Financial Services Group at Ballard Spahr, LLP), the episode brings together an exceptional panel of fair lending authorities: our special guest Bradley Blower (the Principal and Founder of Inclusive-Partners LLC) along with John Culhane, Jr.,… Continue Reading

The Justice Department and State of Texas recently entered into a settlement agreement with Colony Ridge Development, LLC and related entities (Colony Ridge) to settle allegations that Colony Ridge violated certain federal and state laws. The Justice Department had alleged violations of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and Fair Housing Act (FHA).… Continue Reading

Today’s episode marks the first of a two-part series, with Part Two scheduled for release on November 20th. In this installment, we examine the sweeping changes in fair lending policy and enforcement under the second Trump administration.

The discussion is moderated by Alan Kaplinsky, Senior Counsel, founder and former chair for 25 years of Ballard Spahr’s Consumer Financial Services Group, and features these distinguished experts in the field:

  • Bradley Blower, Founder of Inclusive Partners LLC.
… Continue Reading

We are releasing today on our podcast show a repurposed webinar that we produced on June 11, 2025 entitled “What is happening at the federal agencies that is relevant to the residential mortgage and settlement service industries.”

During this podcast, we will inform you about recent developments at federal agencies, including the CFPB, HUD/FHA, OCC, FDIC, FRB and USDA (collectively, the “Agencies”), as well as Congress, the White House, states and the courts.… Continue Reading

As previously reported, in March 2025 the CFPB and Townstone Financial (Townstone) filed a joint motion with a U.S. District Court seeking to reverse the November 2024 consent order between the parties that resolved CFPB allegations of redlining on the part of Townstone in violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA).… Continue Reading

Our podcast show being released today features two former CFPB senior officers who were key employees in the Supervision Division under prior directors: Peggy Twohig and Paul Sanford. Peggy was a founding executive of the CFPB when the agency was created in 2010 and led the development of the first federal supervision program over nonbank consumer financial companies.… Continue Reading