By Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist A broad coalition of state and national organizations is pushing to preserve a key federal program that has helped more than 1.1 million troubled homeowners and reduced mortgage payments by a median savings of $546 each month. The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), created in response to the nation’s housing [...]

By Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist According to findings from the Center for Responsible Lending’s newest report, The State of Lending in America and Its Impact on US Households (State of Lending), the typical household has just $100 left each month after paying for basic expenses and debt payments. After controlling for inflation, the typical household [...]

By Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist When this year’s student debt burden surpassed the $1 trillion mark, it became even larger than the amount of debt held on credit cards. New findings now conclude that heavy student loan debt delays the ability of young graduates to buy a home and in the worst scenarios, strips Social [...]

By Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist The New Year’s tradition of making resolutions is sometimes an opportunity to turn dreams into specific goals and efforts – like losing pounds gained during holiday excesses. When it comes to financial matters, now is a perfect time to also assess lending habits and ways to develop greater financial security. [...]

A year-long boycott begins a life of peaceful protest and service By Charlene Crowell Although America’s Declaration of Independence and Constitution are premised on the principles of democracy, the historical treatment of America’s citizens of color is replete with racial dichotomies. Even today, the vestiges of slavery, Civil War, Reconstruction, segregationist Jim Crow laws to [...]