NCRC files fair housing complaints with HUD against mortgage lenders

Federal Issues NCRC HUD Fair Lending Fair Housing Act Mortgages HMDA

On November 1, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) announced it had filed fair housing complaints with HUD against two mortgage lenders for allegedly engaging in discriminatory behavior against prospective Black clients. The first complaint is based on a matched-pair test conducted in the Seattle/Tacoma, Washington area, which allegedly demonstrated that lending specialists provided different lending product information to prospective borrowers based on race. NCRC also alleged that the lender’s HMDA data showed lending behaviors consistent with discriminatory practices. NCRC also conducted matched-pair testing on a second lender’s practices in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. According to the complaint, the lender also allegedly provided different information and more favorable services to White testers. An examination of the lender’s HMDA data similarly showed alleged discriminatory lending patterns.