Woodstock Institute

We are incredibly excited to announce that Serrater C. is joining Woodstock Institute as our new Director of Applied Research! Serrater is an urban planner and data-driven policy analyst whose work lies at the intersection of housing, economic development, and environmental equity. She joins Woodstock from the AARP Public Policy Institute, where her in-depth research helped develop evidence-based policies supporting housing affordability, accessibility, and livability. Join us in welcoming Serrater and read her full bio here: https://lnkd.in/g-9dZWaB

High-interest title loans trap struggling borrowers in a cycle of debt. The consumer in this article has paid a whopping $15K+ on a $3K loan, with none of that money touching the original principal amount. In the year after Illinois passed its own 36% APR cap on consumer loans, consumers saved over $600 million in interest and fees.

Disagreeing with friends can be challenging, but it can also strengthen relationships. At Woodstock Institute, we are aligned with the vast majority of the CFPB's agenda. However, our experience suggests that the proposed rule on Early Wage Access may have unintended consequences that do not benefit consumers. #FinancialRegulations #ConsumerProtection #CFPB #WoodstockInstitute

We had a blast at Chicago Urban League's Back to School Fest last month! The start of the school year can be a stressful time for many households, especially for lower-income families who may struggle to access financial services. Woodstock had the opportunity to connect families with critical info and resources from trusted financial service providers ahead of the coming school year. Huge thank you to all who participated! OneMain Financial, Self-Help Credit Union, Huntington National Bank, Chicago Urban League, Chase, PNC, Chime, and Jewish Free Loan Chicago.

Join the Illinois CRA coalition for a webinar with National Community Reinvestment Coalition - NCRC's Kevin Hill all about new rules for the federal Community Reinvestment Act. ?? Friday, September 20, 2-3pm CST. Learn how the new rules adapt regulations implementing the 1977 law to the 2024 banking system. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gSdRw7yd

Our 2023 annual report is here! Last year was a landmark moment for Woodstock Institute as we celebrated our 50th anniversary. Our efforts spanned across several areas, including consumer financial protection, mortgage access, and community reinvestment. Access the report here: https://lnkd.in/gfBjD7GQ

Federal Home Loan Banks are in a unique position to help address our housing crisis. ? We’re proud to join Coalition for FHLB Reform in urging the FHLBank system to expand monetary support for fair and affordable housing efforts, including towards increasing housing supply. ? As GSEs, FHLBs will receive an estimated $7.3b in government subsidies in 2024. Despite this public investment and record breaking profits, in 2023 the FHLBank system spent 8.5x more on $3.4b worth of dividends than they did on affordable housing programs (AHPs). The coalition is calling on the FHLBank system’s mandatory contribution to AHPs to be raised from 10% to 30%.?

This marks a huge collaborative effort with a thank you owed to leadership from National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders, Opportunity Finance Network, NeighborWorks America, and Woodstock Institute and input from voices like ours from across the Community Advisory Council and so many non-profits from across the country. Communities depend on organizations like ours to be a voice at the table and make space when voices aren’t represented and this is a successful effort in the interest of communities across the country.

Our grantee partners and peers are hiring! Learn more about open opportunities to join organizations, coalitions, and nonprofit sector peers that are making an impact, including Alliance for Community Services, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Chicago Foundation for Women, Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL), Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI), Enlace Chicago, Faith in Place, HANA Center, Illinois Black Advocacy Initiative, Michael Reese Health Trust, Mujeres Latinas en Acción, The People's Lobby, Shriver Center on Poverty Law, and Woodstock Institute. Learn more about job opportunities with our grantee partners and peers at the link in bio. #JobOpportunities #NonprofitCareers #CommunityOrganizing

Check out this week's MrWeb.com WIRe Job Board Listings: ?? Director of Applied Research, Woodstock Institute [Chicago] ?? Database Engineer, Suzy [USA/Remote] ?? Quantitative Research Consultant, Resources Group [Sydney] Learn more about these opportunities and others: https://bit.ly/3LNV8LP #WomenInResearch #MRX #MarketResearch #MRXjobs