New Small Business Lending Rule Undermines Transparency: woodstockinst.org/press-releas... “The final rule is a giveaway to the financial industry at the expense of small business owners across the country,” said Woodstock President & CEO Horacio Méndez.

“Approval of predatory 100%+ APR banks," advocates warn, "would be an assault on people across the country and political spectrum who are worried about the affordability crisis and strongly support interest rate limits.” #ProtectConsumers #StopTheDebtTrap #Fintech www.nclc.org/broad-coalit...

Our Director of Applied Research appeared on WVON to discuss small business lending disparities in IL & Chicago. "Across IL, businesses in upper-income neighborhoods received about twice as much small business lending as businesses in lower-income neighborhoods." woodstockinst.org/wp-content/u...

The Maryland Attorney General's office is hiring for a Chief of its Consumer Protection Division. Learn more and apply here: mdagcareers.ttcportals.com/jobs/1755607...

Calling Illinois mortgage licensees! Illinois regulators are hosting two virtual covering the Illinois Mortgage Community Reinvestment Act exam. Wednesday, May 20, 9-10am: illinois.webex.com/webappng/sit... Thursday, May 21, 2-3pm: illinois.webex.com/webappng/sit...

A small business owner impacted by a predatory loan joined Woodstock to discuss why we need #APRforAll. www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHBP...

TOMORROW, Wednesday April 1, on WVON 1690 AM! Nikki Bravo, co-founder of Momentum Coffee, and Geri Sanchez Aglipay from Small Business Majority will discuss why Illinois small businesses need APR for All. Tune in here: www.iheart.com/live/wvon-16...

H.O.M.E. (Housing Opportunities & Maintenance for the Elderly) is hiring for a Community Programs Director! Check out this role and other open positions here: homeseniors.org/careers

APR For All! Advocates came to Springfield yesterday to urge Illinois lawmakers to pass HB 744 HA#1, the Small Business Financing Transparency Act, legislation that would require non-bank lenders to disclose the Annual Percentage Rate of loans offered to small businesses.

Coalition Urges Passage of APR for All to Require Transparency in Small Business Lending: woodstockinst.org/press-releas... Today APR for All advocates joined Rep. Canty and Treasurer Frerichs at the Illinois Capitol to urge lawmakers to pass the Small Business Financing Transparency Act.

There's still time to sign up to join us for our APR For All lobby day this Tuesday (3/24) in Springfield! Join us as we urge lawmakers to pass HB 744 HA#1, the Small Business Financing Transparency Act. Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/small-busi...

In a major victory for consumers, a federal judge ordered the Trump Administration to request funding for the CFPB. Americans are already facing an affordability crisis and can’t afford an economy where harmful financial practices go unchecked. woodstockinst.org/press-releas...

TOMORROW on WVON 1690 AM! Join Rufus Williams and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza to learn more about HB744 HA # 1, the Small Business Financing Transparency Act. Tune in here at 8:15AM: www.iheart.com/live/wvon-16...

The “APR For All” coalition had a great phonebank last week urging IL legislators to support the Small Business Financing Transparency Act. We’re hitting the road next Tuesday, March 24, and heading to the IL Capitol to continue our small business advocacy efforts. Join us!

Pick up a copy of the Chicago Sun-Times today to check out the cover story on the shortage of affordable rental homes for low-income households in Illinois 🗞️

TOMORROW on WVON! Woodstock's Brent Adams and former State Senator Jacqueline Collins will join WVON's Rufus Williams to discuss Woodstock's new report, "The PLPA Is Still Working; But the Predatory Lenders Strike Back!" Tune in here: www.iheart.com/live/wvon-16...

Thank you to all the IL leaders that have stood up for small businesses by endorsing APR For All legislation, including AG Kwame Raoul, Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Treasurer Mike Frerichs, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, & Mayor Brandon Johnson. woodstockinst.org/press-releas...

It’s just a bill

"Bad math justifying economic harm to everyday Americans seems to have found fertile ground with this Administration." woodstockinst.org/press-releas...

By bridging the gap workers often experience trying to meet essential expenses while waiting for their next paycheck, employer-sponsored small dollar loan products have the potential to address households' need for safe and affordable credit. www.americanbanker.com/payments/new...

In 2011 Illinois had 518 licensed payday loan stores. Today there are zero. Our new report details the positive impact of Illinois's 36% APR cap on consumer loans as well as industry’s attempt to circumvent the law. woodstockinst.org/research/rep...

Yesterday, we presented new data to the Chicago City Council Committee on Finance regarding the lending patterns of the City's banking partners. These annual hearings evaluate whether Chicago’s banking partners are making progress in closing historical racial and economic lending disparities.

We're glad to be working with the American Fintech Council to pass common sense small business lending protections in Illinois! american-fintech-council-new.webflow.io/press-releas...

Last week’s Small Business Town Hall with Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, Rep. @gonggershowitz.bsky.social, Senator Laura Fine, and Commissioner Samantha Steele was a great opportunity to connect with local small business owners and learn more about their experiences with accessing financing.

The Woodstock Report on WVON 1690 AM returns this Wednesday, February 4 at 8:20am! Rep. Kam Buckner will be on this week to discuss the Small Business Financing Transparency Act, which would codify critical lending protections for IL small businesses. Listen here: www.iheart.com/live/wvon-16...

https://www.wandtv.com/news/statehouse/advocates-call-for-il-small-business-loan-transparency-plan/article_299307ee-90a4-49a3-b62a-75518a0df2ff.html 

Our efforts to pass critical lending protections for Illinois small businesses were featured on @wandnews.bsky.social. "In 2023, a growing number of business bankruptcies were directly tied to merchant cash advances and similar products," said Rep. Kam Buckner. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r5n...

"The share of Financially Vulnerable households in Cook County decreased from 19% in 2022 to 18% in 2025, including notable improvements among Black (39% to 33%) and Latino residents (30% to 26%)." www.cct.org/research-and...

Illinois legislators and consumer advocates want to hear from small business owners about their experiences with financing their businesses and accessing capital. Free breakfast from Habibi In will be provided! Register here: evanstonthm.eventbrite.com

“This idea forces credit card companies and banks to make less money... then you’re going to see them take a number of actions to limit those losses and try to find different ways to make money," said Woodstock President & CEO Horacio Mendez. news.wttw.com/2026/01/20/t...

Leader Kam Buckner joined small business owners & advocates this morning at the Illinois State Capitol to amplify the Small Business Financing Transparency Act. Learn more and watch the full press conference here: woodstockinst.org/press-releas...

The President’s 10% rate cap proposal would be a windfall for payday, auto title, and predatory installment lenders. In contrast, in states like Illinois that have imposed a cap for nearly all types of consumer loans, it’s consumers who enjoy the windfall. woodstockinst.org/press-releas...

This is great news and we’re glad to see the Trump Administration is being forced to keep the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on life support. However... www.americanbanker.com/news/vought-...

We oppose provisions of the CLARITY Act, expected to reach the Senate floor as early as next week, and the Responsible Financial Innovation Act of 2025 that would preempt state level consumer financial protections and lead to a significant reduction in lending. woodstockinst.org/consumer-pro...

Development folks, check out this open role with SomerCor! SomerCor is a mission-driven nonprofit committed to growing economic opportunity through access to capital and helping small businesses create jobs, invest, and strengthen communities. www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...

Our new report shows that demand for home improvement loans has surged between 2021 and 2024 in Cook County and Chicago but that denials outpace originations for most applicants. Access the full report here: woodstockinst.org/research/hom...

A positive development in the ongoing fight over the Trump Administration’s efforts to shut down the CFPB: a federal judge has ruled that the administration must request funding for the agency as required, refuting their latest legal maneuver to starve it of funding. www.npr.org/2025/12/30/n...

We're proud to share our efforts promoting fair housing in Indiana through our work on @fairhousingin.bsky.social's lending data portal, which now covers all 92 counties in the state for calendar years 2019-2024. This data is freely available and downloadable here: www.fhcci.org/data/

FHCCI Uses Data to Advocate for Improved Mortgage Lending Practices Read the full press release on our News page: www.fhcci.org/news/

"In this environment, our request is to respectfully ask the agencies to stop breaking things. Prioritizing stability is the only sensible path forward right now...At this rate, the harm done will take a generation to undo." www.americanbanker.com/opinion/bank...

Redlined communities organized and fought for the mortgage data that proved they were being systemically denied access to loans. Now the current Administration’s attacks on research and racial equity are putting the future of this data at risk.

We had a wonderful turnout at our event, Data as Power: 50 Years of the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act! Panelists discussed the past, present, and future of HMDA data and its role in combatting redlining and enforcing fair lending laws.

Woodstock is now on Facebook and Instagram. Follow us today! Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?... Insta: www.instagram.com/woodstockins...

Thank you to everyone who helped make our inaugural Small Business Financing Conference a success! This event offered small business owners, lenders, civic leaders, and policy advocates an opportunity to connect and confront one of Illinois’s most urgent challenges...

NEW LAWSUIT: Trump’s budget chief & acting head of CFPB has manufactured a funding crisis to completely defund the agency. We're challenging the Trump admin's unlawful attempt to stop the CFPB from doing its Congressionally mandated job by starving it of funding.

A full house for “Data as Power: 50 years of the Home Disclosure Act (HMDA)” in Chicago. Bob Kuttner, Ted Wysocki, & Cal Bradford were all involved in organizing for the 1975 HMDA. Kuttner talks about how his antiredlining work with Sen. Proxmire transformed his life to work on political economy.

"In this environment, our request is to respectfully ask the agencies to stop breaking things. Prioritizing stability is the only sensible path forward right now...At this rate, the harm done will take a generation to undo." www.americanbanker.com/opinion/bank...

President & CEO of @woodstockinst.bsky.social Horacio Méndez starts the day with powerful words, "Data is our power to ensure that self governance towards equal treatment and American freedom was effective, and Disclosure is our weapon to uphold the principle that all should be treated equally."

Starting off the Data as Power: 50 Years of HMDA conference with Episode 4 of Shame of Chicago by Artist in Residence Bruce Orenstein! Follow along with us as we celebrate the anti-redlining movement in Chicago. @woodstockinst.bsky.social Learn more here: woodstockinst.org/event/data-a...

We’re excited to share that in 2026, Great Lakes Credit Union, in partnership with select employers, will roll out a new pilot program offering employer-sponsored small dollar loans, building on the success of similar models in New England, NY, & California. www.chicagobusiness.com/elevate/chic...