Consumer
The Consumer Policy Advocacy section contains Legislative Memos, Letters, Comments and Testimony. You will also find news items, articles and reports that relate to our policy work in consumer.
Legislative Memos
Empire Justice Memo of Support: Public Assistance Mortgages Annual Accounting Will Provide Transparency
UPDATE: Assembly introduces a companion bill for S.5498. Currently, local social services districts do not provide the homeowner with an accounting of the amount of public assistance paid nor the amount of the accrued debt or credits made against the home. Read More
Empire Justice Memo of Support: Ensure Fairness in New York’s Foreclosure Process
This bill requires certification to be filed up front with the summons and complaint. The certificate must verify that the lawyer has reviewed the facts of the case and verified with the plaintiff that there is a “reasonable basis” for filing the lawsuit. Read More
Memorandum of Support: Amend Social Services Law § 106 to Protect the Homes of Welfare Recipients
New York is one of only two states in the nation that takes deeds and mortgages against the homes of welfare recipients to recover the public assistance paid to these homeowners. This bill would exempt persons who own and reside in one, two or three family homes from this archaic provision. If the goal of New York’s public assistance policy is to restore individuals to self-sufficiency, then it is time to pass this bill! Read More
Empire Justice Memo of Opposition: New Yorkers Would Be Harmed If Check Cashers Became Lenders
This bill would exempt New York check cashers from the state’s usury protections and permit them to make high-cost, unsafe, small-dollar loans. We believe the bill would create an unlevel playing field by allowing check cashers to make loans that are currently prohibited from being made by mainstream, regulated banks and credit unions. Read More
More Legislative Memos >>
Policy Letters
Empire Justice Center and Other Consumer Organizations Urge CFPB to Expand HMDA
Empire Justice is one of 14 organizations urging CFPB to act quickly to commence its HMDA rulemaking and work with HUD to create and make public the sorely-needed national mortgage default and foreclosure database. Read More
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Comments
Empire Justice and other NYRL members applaud OCC and FDIC for their strong guidance on deposit advance products
More than 40 members of New Yorkers for Responsible Lending signed onto a joint comment letter applauding federal regulators for issuing strong guidance to curb deposit advance products and payday lending. Read More
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Testimony
Empire Justice Testimony on Economic Abuse as a Form of Domestic Abuse
Our testimony on critical issues impacting victims of domestic violence and their families. Read More
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Policy Related News
N.Y. bill would speed up foreclosure 'waiting game' (lohud.com)
Delay can prove a catastrophic enemy of New Yorkers facing the loss of their homes to foreclosure.
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Attorney general sues HSBC over foreclosures (The Buffalo News)
Thousands of New Yorkers have likely been denied a better chance to get their homes out from under foreclosure by HSBC Bank USA and its Depew mortgage operations facility, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is charging in a new lawsuit.
Read More
More policy related news >>
