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Home Insurance Increases Threaten Housing Stability in Deep South

This blog specifically looks at homeowners insurance across this Deep South, considering both premium increases as well as policy availability, compared to the rest of the country. The data show that despite having lower incomes and lower property values, the Deep South has some of the highest homeowners’ insurance rates and some of the largest increases in premiums over the last several years.

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Community partner interacting with a young girl in the Deep South.

Publications

From research briefs to blogs, our publications highlight the work, stories, and policy insights that drive economic opportunity in underserved communities.

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Newsletters

Explore press releases, news reports, and quarterly updates highlighting our work with communities across the South.

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Data & Visualization

Dive into interactive tools and visualizations to see the trends and opportunities shaping economic inclusion in the Deep South.

New Federal Reserve Report Reveals Growing Financial Strain and Uneven Recovery

New Federal Reserve Report Reveals Growing Financial Strain and Uneven Recovery

A new report from the Federal Reserve highlights a… Read More >

Home Insurance Increases Threaten Housing Stability in Deep South

Home Insurance Increases Threaten Housing Stability in Deep South

Homeownership is a key strategy for HOPE to help… Read More >

Building Opportunity Together: HOPE Day at Alcorn State University

Building Opportunity Together: HOPE Day at Alcorn State University

Last month, Alcorn State University and HOPE came together to host HOPE Day at Alcorn, a Financial Empowerment and Business Resource Forum designed to connect students, faculty, and the surrounding community with the tools needed to build lasting financial stability… Read More >

New Data Show Affordability Challenges and Long-Term Consequences for the Deep South

New Data Show Affordability Challenges and Long-Term Consequences for the Deep South

Every day in its work, HOPE hears stories of… Read More >

Table 1: Grants per Capita in Rural Areas, 2021

Table 1: Grants per Capita in Rural Areas, 2021

Region Grants Per Capita Northeast $148 Midwest… Read More >

Figure 2: Average Grants Per Capita, Deep South versus New York, 2014-2021

Figure 2: Average Grants Per Capita, Deep South versus New York, 2014-2021

Figure 1: Active Grantmaking Organizations Per 1000, 2014-2021

Figure 1: Active Grantmaking Organizations Per 1000, 2014-2021

Closing the Rural Investment Gap Through Philanthropy

Closing the Rural Investment Gap Through Philanthropy

A new interactive mapping tool “The Geography of… Read More >

Expanding Access to Homeownership in Tennessee

Expanding Access to Homeownership in Tennessee

HOPE recently joined national and regional housing leaders at the Tennessee Housing Conference hosted by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. The gathering brought together leaders from the public and private sectors to examine the barriers to housing access and identify… Read More >

Advancing a High-Impact Rural Strategy for Opportunity Zones 2.0 in the Deep South

Advancing a High-Impact Rural Strategy for Opportunity Zones 2.0 in the Deep South

By Diane Standaert and Sara Miller This year,… Read More >

Securing the American Dream: Advancing Homeownership in the Deep South through Expiring LIHTCs

Securing the American Dream: Advancing Homeownership in the Deep South through Expiring LIHTCs

Through its Y-16 initiative, HOPE is showing how… Read More >

Table 1: Rural areas with the lowest and highest shares of single-family purchase and refinance loans purchased by the GSEs, 2024.

Table 1: Rural areas with the lowest and highest shares of single-family purchase and refinance loans purchased by the GSEs, 2024.

Closing the Gap: Opportunities to Increase Secondary Mortgage Access for Rural Deep South Communities

Closing the Gap: Opportunities to Increase Secondary Mortgage Access for Rural Deep South Communities

Secondary market investors currently have a… Read More >

Figure 5. Household Energy Burden and Costs Across Income Levels

Figure 5. Household Energy Burden and Costs Across Income Levels

Figure 4. Low-Income Households Also Face Energy Burdens Above the National Average

Figure 4. Low-Income Households Also Face Energy Burdens Above the National Average

Figure 3. Average Residential Energy Burden for Low-Income Households by State, Percent of Household Income Spent on Energy

Figure 3. Average Residential Energy Burden for Low-Income Households by State, Percent of Household Income Spent on Energy

Figure 2. Extremely Low-Income Households Face Energy Burdens Above the National Average

Figure 2. Extremely Low-Income Households Face Energy Burdens Above the National Average

Figure 1. Average Residential Energy Burden for Extremely Low-Income Households by State, Percent of Household Income Spent on Energy

Figure 1. Average Residential Energy Burden for Extremely Low-Income Households by State, Percent of Household Income Spent on Energy

Long Term Poverty Across the Deep South over 50 year period

Long Term Poverty Across the Deep South over 50 year period

The Economic Effects of Climate Change in the Deep South

The Economic Effects of Climate Change in the Deep South

Total Relief Funds by State in the Deep South

Total Relief Funds by State in the Deep South

Estimated Lifetime Earnings of Black Adults by Education Level

Estimated Lifetime Earnings of Black Adults by Education Level

Circular HBCU Economic Model

Circular HBCU Economic Model

Small Business Lending Access in the Deep South by Race

Small Business Lending Access in the Deep South by Race

Figure 1: Full Approved Small Business Loan Applications Figure 2: Denied Small Business Loan Applications Figure 3: HOPE Business Lending by Race, FY2024 Read More >

Generosity in the Deep South by Region & Race

Generosity in the Deep South by Region & Race

Figure 1: Religious Giving Patterns by Race Black… Read More >

Figure 2: Mortgage Denial Rates in the Deep South by Race an Income

Figure 2: Mortgage Denial Rates in the Deep South by Race an Income

Black borrowers are 2x as likely to be denied for… Read More >

Black Generational Wealth in the South

Black Generational Wealth in the South

Figure 1: The National Racial Wealth Divide The median White household holds over six times the wealth of the median Black household. Figure 2: Racial Wealth Gap Higher in Deep South States than Nation White households hold up to 35… Read More >

The disparity between Black and White homeownership rates across the Deep South

The disparity between Black and White homeownership rates across the Deep South

White household incomes outpace Black households… Read More >

Household income at age 35 for children born to low-income parents

Household income at age 35 for children born to low-income parents

HOPE Member Pulse Survey: Initial Insights

HOPE Member Pulse Survey: Initial Insights

Chart 1: Member Confidence on Financial Future Survey Question: “Current economic conditions have reduced my confidence in my financial future.” Chart 2: Member Reliance on Credit/Loans Survey Question: “Economic conditions have forced me to rely more heavily on credit or… Read More >

Why the Mississippi Delta’s Voice Matters for the Future of Rural America

Why the Mississippi Delta’s Voice Matters for the Future of Rural America

On February 24, the Clarion… Read More >

PWIs Outpace HBCUs in Indirect Cost Recovery Rates

PWIs Outpace HBCUs in Indirect Cost Recovery Rates

Endowment Dollars for Public PWIs vs. Public HBCUs

Endowment Dollars for Public PWIs vs. Public HBCUs

HBCUs Exceeda National Rate for Pell Grant Access

HBCUs Exceeda National Rate for Pell Grant Access

$60.8 Million Investment Distribution to HBCUs in the Deep South

$60.8 Million Investment Distribution to HBCUs in the Deep South

Bank Branch Decline in the Deep South (2010-2024)

Bank Branch Decline in the Deep South (2010-2024)

Homeownership & Denial Rates by Race and Income

Homeownership & Denial Rates by Race and Income

Funds Needed for Water Infrastructure Upgrades for MS Delta & Deep South Communities

Funds Needed for Water Infrastructure Upgrades for MS Delta & Deep South Communities

Figure 1. Percent of Households Lacking Complete… Read More >

Figure 1: Unbanked and Underbanked Rates in Deep South by Race

Figure 1: Unbanked and Underbanked Rates in Deep South by Race

Median Auto Loan Balances in Deep South

Median Auto Loan Balances in Deep South

Figure 1: HOPE Workforce Diversity Comparison to Banking Industry

Figure 1: HOPE Workforce Diversity Comparison to Banking Industry

Table 1: Housing Characteristics by Banking Status of Deep South

Table 1: Housing Characteristics by Banking Status of Deep South

Mortgage Homeowner & Denial Rates in the Deep South

Mortgage Homeowner & Denial Rates in the Deep South

Table 1: Homeownership Rates in the Deep South by… Read More >

Top Ten Challenges for All Women in the Economy

Top Ten Challenges for All Women in the Economy

The Wage Gap, Homeownership, and Economic Mobility

The Wage Gap, Homeownership, and Economic Mobility

Table 1: Wage Gap Disparities by Race and Gender for Deep South States Figure 1: Home Mortgage Interest Rates for Loan Originations in the Deep South (2021) Read More >

Slave Population Across the United States

Slave Population Across the United States

Racial demographics and economic hardship across United States counties

Racial demographics and economic hardship across United States counties

Use of Expanded Child Tax Credit by Family Income

Use of Expanded Child Tax Credit by Family Income

Households Fully Banked by Race

Households Fully Banked by Race

High-Cost Debt Traps & Wealth Racial Gaps in Memphis

High-Cost Debt Traps & Wealth Racial Gaps in Memphis

NMTC Allocations to Minority Led CED Entities

NMTC Allocations to Minority Led CED Entities

Rural borrower statistics and delinquency rates across the Deep South

Rural borrower statistics and delinquency rates across the Deep South

Table 1: Student Debt Delinquencies in the Rural… Read More >

The State Small Business Credit Initiative: A $3 Billion Opportunity for the Deep South

The State Small Business Credit Initiative: A $3 Billion Opportunity for the Deep South

Table 1: 2021 Deep South SSBCI Allocations Chart… Read More >

Incarceration rates across different states in the United States

Incarceration rates across different states in the United States

New Markets Tax Credit Investments in Majority People of Color Counties 2003-2017

New Markets Tax Credit Investments in Majority People of Color Counties 2003-2017

The total annual allocation of funds for the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program

The total annual allocation of funds for the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program

Status of Certain Programs Funded by the MS Coronavirus Relief Fund

Status of Certain Programs Funded by the MS Coronavirus Relief Fund

Allocation of $60 billion in funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), divided into first and second draws.

Allocation of $60 billion in funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), divided into first and second draws.

PPP Loans Under $150,000 Made in Mississippi and Louisiana by Type of Lender

PPP Loans Under $150,000 Made in Mississippi and Louisiana by Type of Lender

Medical Debt in the Mississippi Delta by Race

Medical Debt in the Mississippi Delta by Race

Percentage of Allocated Funds for Rural & Persistent Poverty Parishes by Type and Race

Percentage of Allocated Funds for Rural & Persistent Poverty Parishes by Type and Race

Employment Income Loss Underscore Magnitude of Financial Hardship in the Deep South from the Pandemic

Employment Income Loss Underscore Magnitude of Financial Hardship in the Deep South from the Pandemic

Figure 1: Deep South Households with Loss of… Read More >

Review of Arkansas Ready for Business Program: Gaps and Opportunities

Review of Arkansas Ready for Business Program: Gaps and Opportunities

Table 1: Median and Average Grant Allocation by County Type as June 26, 2020 Tables 2: Share of Minority and Women-Owned Businesses Assisted by the Grant as of June 26, 2020 Read More >

CDFIs and MDIs Continue to Cater to Small Businesses Despite PPP Barriers

CDFIs and MDIs Continue to Cater to Small Businesses Despite PPP Barriers

Table 1: CDFI and MDI PPP Lending Compared to… Read More >

Distribution of Deep South MDIs and Assets (Banks vs. Credit Unions)

Distribution of Deep South MDIs and Assets (Banks vs. Credit Unions)

Deep South MDI Banks & Credit Unions with Asset Size

Deep South MDI Banks & Credit Unions with Asset Size

Mississippi Post-COVID 19 Rental Survey Results

Mississippi Post-COVID 19 Rental Survey Results

Job Losses & Furloughs: April 2020

Job Losses & Furloughs: April 2020

Credit Denials by Income & Race across the U.S

Credit Denials by Income & Race across the U.S

Data across the Deep South and the national average by racial demographic.

Data across the Deep South and the national average by racial demographic.

Debt in America: The Deep South by Race

Debt in America: The Deep South by Race

The Great Recession: Job Losses & Unemployment Claims in the Deep South

The Great Recession: Job Losses & Unemployment Claims in the Deep South

Current Employment Statistics by State & Metro Areas across the Deep South

Current Employment Statistics by State & Metro Areas across the Deep South

CDFI Fund Institutional Report: Assets & Size by Race

CDFI Fund Institutional Report: Assets & Size by Race

Cases & Casualties in the Deep South from COVID 19

Projected Number Jobs Loss during COVID 19 across the Deep South

Projected Number Jobs Loss during COVID 19 across the Deep South

Average Wages for Industries vs. Leisure and Hospitality sector across the Deep South

Average Wages for Industries vs. Leisure and Hospitality sector across the Deep South

Percent of Underbanked Households & Poverty Rate in the Deep South

Percent of Underbanked Households & Poverty Rate in the Deep South

Social safety net benefits and relief measures across five Southern U.S. states during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social safety net benefits and relief measures across five Southern U.S. states during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Table 1: Counties with Hospitals and ICU Beds in the Deep South

Table 1: Counties with Hospitals and ICU Beds in the Deep South

Single Female Households with Liquid Asset Poverty

Single Female Households with Liquid Asset Poverty

Persistent poverty areas in parts of the Deep South, highlighting levels of critical care capacity

Persistent poverty areas in parts of the Deep South, highlighting levels of critical care capacity

Women’s Median Earnings & Wage Gap by Race

Women’s Median Earnings & Wage Gap by Race

Households Living in Liquid Asset Poverty in the Deep South

Households Living in Liquid Asset Poverty in the Deep South

Rent-A-Bank Proposals Put Deep South Families at Risk of Predatory Lending

Rent-A-Bank Proposals Put Deep South Families at Risk of Predatory Lending

Persistent Poverty Map by Race

Persistent Poverty Map by Race

Payday Loan Summary

Payday Loan Summary

Fair Lending and Homeownership Rates by Race

Fair Lending and Homeownership Rates by Race

Table 1: Black and White Homeownership Rates… Read More >

Louisiana, Mississippi State: Banking Stats

Louisiana, Mississippi State: Banking Stats

Deep South States among the Least Credit Worthy in the Nation

Deep South States among the Least Credit Worthy in the Nation

How Hungry is America?: Food Hardship Rates

How Hungry is America?: Food Hardship Rates

Percentage of Food Insecurity in the Deep South

Percentage of Food Insecurity in the Deep South

The Significant Impact of Student Debt on Communities of Color

The Significant Impact of Student Debt on Communities of Color

Source: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/significant-impact-student-debt-communities-color Read More >

Prosperity Now Scorecard: Housing and Homeownership (%) by Race & State

Prosperity Now Scorecard: Housing and Homeownership (%) by Race & State

Map of Persistent Poverty in the Deep South

Map of Persistent Poverty in the Deep South

Map & Stats: Investments in the Local and Regional Food Economy

Map & Stats: Investments in the Local and Regional Food Economy

Fees Drained Annually from Payday Loans in the Deep South

Fees Drained Annually from Payday Loans in the Deep South

Power Struggle: How High Energy Burdens Harm Families in the Deep South

Power Struggle: How High Energy Burdens Harm Families in the Deep South

For many households, keeping a home cool in the… Read More >

HEROES Act Brings Relief for Disadvantaged Businesses, Financially-Strapped Households

HEROES Act Brings Relief for Disadvantaged Businesses, Financially-Strapped Households

JACKSON, MS – Yesterday, Congress introduced, HR 6800, the HEROES Act, proposing a range of relief mechanisms for the health and financial consequences of COVID 19. Among the bill’s proposals, critical to the Deep South’s economic recovery, are provisions to… Read More >

Hope Policy Institute Statement on OCC changes to Community Reinvestment Act

Hope Policy Institute Statement on OCC changes to Community Reinvestment Act

JACKSON, MS – Yesterday, the Office of the… Read More >

Bipartisan Effort Makes Small Business Protection Program More Accessible

Bipartisan Effort Makes Small Business Protection Program More Accessible

Media Contact: Shelia Byrd Hope Policy Institute… Read More >

FDIC Final Rule Favoring High-Cost Lenders Puts Deep South Families at Risk

FDIC Final Rule Favoring High-Cost Lenders Puts Deep South Families at Risk

Today, the FDIC announced a final rule that will encourage high-cost lenders to partner with banks to enable high-cost lending and undermine state law protections. The FDIC rule, which follows a similar one issued by the OCC last month, will… Read More >

HOPE Statement on CFPB Repeal of Payday Lending Protections

HOPE Statement on CFPB Repeal of Payday Lending Protections

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau… Read More >

Fair Housing Rollbacks Threaten Economic Opportunity in the Deep South

Fair Housing Rollbacks Threaten Economic Opportunity in the Deep South

JACKSON, MS – On the Friday evening of Labor Day… Read More >

HOPE Statement on Proposed Changes to the Community Reinvestment Act

HOPE Statement on Proposed Changes to the Community Reinvestment Act

JACKSON, MS – The Federal Reserve on Monday, Sept. 21, announced proposed changes to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), a law passed in 1977 to ensure banks adequately serve the communities in which they do business. Public comment on the… Read More >

HOPENotes – Winter 2026

HOPENotes – Winter 2026

CFPB Complaint Portal Provides Millions in Relief to People in the Deep South

CFPB Complaint Portal Provides Millions in Relief to People in the Deep South

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)’s… Read More >

Number of HBCU’s per State Tableau Visual

Number of HBCU’s per State Tableau Visual

Nearly Half of Nation’s HBCUs Located in Deep South Blog source: https://hopepolicy.org/stronger-together-how-cdfis-and-hbcus-build-lasting-change/ Read More >

HOPE Submits Public Comment on Proposed Revisions to Small Business Data Collection Rule

HOPE Submits Public Comment on Proposed Revisions to Small Business Data Collection Rule

HOPE submitted a public comment to the Consumer… Read More >

HOPE Opposes Federal Action to Expand Predatory Lending

HOPE Opposes Federal Action to Expand Predatory Lending

JACKSON, MS – Yesterday, the Office of Comptroller… Read More >

HOPE Statement on Congress’ Passage of the COVID-19 Relief Package

HOPE Statement on Congress’ Passage of the COVID-19 Relief Package

JACKSON, MS – Late Monday, Congress approved a $900 billion coronavirus relief package that included $12 billion for community development financial institutions (CDFIs). Hope Enterprise Corporation/Hope Credit Union (HOPE) CEO Bill Bynum released the following statement about the legislation: “Prior… Read More >

Debt Burden for Formerly Incarcerated Tops $4 Billion

Debt Burden for Formerly Incarcerated Tops $4 Billion

Hope Policy Institute calls for changes in public,… Read More >

CRL, Credit Unions, CDFIs, on Supreme Court Decision in  Seila Law LLC v. CFPB

CRL, Credit Unions, CDFIs, on Supreme Court Decision in  Seila Law LLC v. CFPB

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court… Read More >

From Campus to Community: How HBCUs Build Black Wealth and Power Local Economies

From Campus to Community: How HBCUs Build Black Wealth and Power Local Economies

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are more than places of learning. They serve as engines of economic mobility for Black students and act as anchor institutions for the surrounding communities. They educate more first-generation and low-income students than most… Read More >

DeltaFest: A Recap

DeltaFest: A Recap

Last week, more than 500 people from across the… Read More >

CDFIs Drive Capital to Small Businesses Despite Access Challenges

CDFIs Drive Capital to Small Businesses Despite Access Challenges

Small businesses are the heart of America’s local… Read More >

Member Pulse Survey: August Findings

Member Pulse Survey: August Findings

The Hope Policy Institute recently conducted its Member Pulse Survey to better understand how current economic conditions are impacting members and their financial well-being. The survey reflects feedback from members across HOPE’s footprint and provides valuable insights into the financial… Read More >

Generosity in the Deep South: How Race and Place Shape Philanthropy

Generosity in the Deep South: How Race and Place Shape Philanthropy

Philanthropy in the Deep South has a unique… Read More >

Black Households Face Higher Mortgage Denials than White Applicants, Research Finds

Black Households Face Higher Mortgage Denials than White Applicants, Research Finds

Homeownership has long been a cornerstone of… Read More >

Black Generational Wealth in the South: The Weight of History, the Promise of Policy

Black Generational Wealth in the South: The Weight of History, the Promise of Policy

Generational wealth influences a family’s economic mobility as financial assets provide a head start, while their absence can lock a person into cycles of limited progress. Generational wealth refers to the assets, resources, and advantages that families can pass down from… Read More >

HOPE Member Pulse Survey: Initial Insights

HOPE Member Pulse Survey: Initial Insights

The lived experiences of Hope members are vital to… Read More >

Stronger Together: How CDFIs and HBCUs Build Lasting Change

Stronger Together: How CDFIs and HBCUs Build Lasting Change

Stepping onto the campuses of Tougaloo College in… Read More >

Protecting Communities from the Rollback of CRA Reforms

Protecting Communities from the Rollback of CRA Reforms

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), enacted in 1977, was designed to combat the lasting impacts of redlining and ensure that banks meet the credit needs of all communities, including low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. For decades, CRA has been… Read More >

2025 Fourth Quarter Report

2025 Fourth Quarter Report

Dear Friends, With 2026 now well underway, HOPE’s… Read More >

2025 Third Quarter Report

2025 Third Quarter Report

Dear Friends, Throughout HOPE’s history, our most… Read More >

2025 Second Quarter Report

2025 Second Quarter Report

Dear Friends, In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated families, businesses, organizations and entire communities on the Gulf Coast. Months after opening our first New Orleans office, HOPE found ourselves using our Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard facility as a staging ground… Read More >

2025 First Quarter Report

2025 First Quarter Report

Dear Friends, Enterprise Corporation of the Delta… Read More >

HOPENotes – Winter 2025

HOPENotes – Winter 2025

HOPENotes – Spring 2025

HOPENotes – Spring 2025

HOPENotes – Summer 2025

HOPENotes – Summer 2025

HOPENotes – Fall 2025

HOPENotes – Fall 2025

CDFIs Provide Critical Financial Access Despite Growing Banking Deserts, Report Finds

CDFIs Provide Critical Financial Access Despite Growing Banking Deserts, Report Finds

The Federal Reserve of Cleveland has published an article, “The Last Branch Standing”, that examines the rising concentration of banking deserts and potential banking deserts, particularly among low-income communities. The report also highlights how Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), like… Read More >

HOPE Economic Mobility Forum – Seizing the Moment: Maximizing Federal Investment in Under Resourced Communities, West Memphis

HOPE Economic Mobility Forum – Seizing the Moment: Maximizing Federal Investment in Under Resourced Communities, West Memphis

Last week, HOPE hosted its final Economic Mobility… Read More >

LGBT Americans in the Deep South face Disparities in Housing

LGBT Americans in the Deep South face Disparities in Housing

Did you know? More than 1/3rd of LGBT… Read More >

Black Households Still Face Higher Mortgage Denials than White Applicants, Research Finds

Black Households Still Face Higher Mortgage Denials than White Applicants, Research Finds

Homeownership is a proven strategy for building wealth yet access to mortgage financing is unequal, particularly for Black households. Did you know? Black homeownership trails white homeownership by over a quarter percentage points (28.2% gap). There are 55 million more… Read More >

Federal Funds Provide Needed Water Infrastructure Upgrades for MS Delta Communities

Federal Funds Provide Needed Water Infrastructure Upgrades for MS Delta Communities

The White House has announced $5.8… Read More >

HOPE Economic Mobility Forum – Seizing the Moment: Maximizing Federal Investment in Under Resourced Communities

HOPE Economic Mobility Forum – Seizing the Moment: Maximizing Federal Investment in Under Resourced Communities

Last week, HOPE hosted an Economic Mobility Forum… Read More >

HOPE Economic Mobility Forum – Capitalizing on Federal Investments for Under-Resourced Communities

HOPE Economic Mobility Forum – Capitalizing on Federal Investments for Under-Resourced Communities

Cleveland, Mississippi – April 16, 2024 – The Economic Mobility Forum, held in Cleveland, Mississippi, concluded with resounding success as community leaders, policymakers, and experts gathered to discuss the effective utilization of federal investments in the Deep South to enhance… Read More >

A Personal Reflection of Women’s Banking Progress

A Personal Reflection of Women’s Banking Progress

Being a woman in the finance industry holds… Read More >

Federal Agencies Propose Rules to Eliminate Excessive Junk Fees and Provide Crucial Protections for Vulnerable Consumers

Federal Agencies Propose Rules to Eliminate Excessive Junk Fees and Provide Crucial Protections for Vulnerable Consumers

In a trifecta win for consumers, the Consumer… Read More >

HOPE Joins Inclusiv in Uplifting Black-led Financial Institutions

HOPE Joins Inclusiv in Uplifting Black-led Financial Institutions

Earlier this week, Inclusiv hosted a webinar entitled “Advancing Economic Opportunity for Black Communities in the Deep South” in which HOPE Policy Institute and Sixth Avenue Baptist Federal Credit Union were invited to share insights on their work to improve the economic… Read More >

2024 Fourth Quarter Report

2024 Fourth Quarter Report

Dear Friends, A lifelong renter in the Arkansas… Read More >

2024 Third Quarter Report

2024 Third Quarter Report

Friends, Throughout the course of America’s… Read More >

2024 Second Quarter Report

2024 Second Quarter Report

Dear Friends, While all people are created equal, wide resource disparities create winners and losers when it comes to one’s ability to reach their potential. At HOPE, we work to close this divide by ensuring that historically under resourced people… Read More >

2024 First Quarter Report

2024 First Quarter Report

Dear Friends, In the course of our ongoing work to… Read More >

HOPE Submits Public Comment on Defining Financial Inclusion

HOPE Submits Public Comment on Defining Financial Inclusion

Financial inclusion is an important aspect of… Read More >

HOPE Submits Public Comment Defending Disparate Impact Under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act

HOPE Submits Public Comment Defending Disparate Impact Under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act

Disparate impact is a critical legal tool that allows regulators, communities, and borrowers to challenge policies that appear neutral on their face but disproportionately harm historically vulnerable groups. For regions like the Deep South, where historic underinvestment and discrimination continue… Read More >

HOPENotes – Winter 2024

HOPENotes – Winter 2024

HOPENotes – Spring 2024

HOPENotes – Spring 2024

HOPENotes – Summer 2024

HOPENotes – Summer 2024

HOPENotes – Fall 2024

HOPENotes – Fall 2024

New Data Shows Unequal Access to Economic Mobility for Black Women

New Data Shows Unequal Access to Economic Mobility for Black Women

The contributions that Black women have made… Read More >

HOPE Opposes Actions Taken by House of Representatives to Roll Back Consumer Protections for Diverse Businesses

HOPE Opposes Actions Taken by House of Representatives to Roll Back Consumer Protections for Diverse Businesses

On Friday, December 1, the House of Representatives passed a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to halt the implementation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) small business data collection rule, Section 1071 of the Dodd Frank Act. Section 1071 requires covered financial… Read More >

Defending Financial Democracy: Experts Provide Insights on Current Consumer Protection Developments and Importance of CDFIS

Defending Financial Democracy: Experts Provide Insights on Current Consumer Protection Developments and Importance of CDFIS

Last week, Hope hosted its Economic Mobility… Read More >

An Independent CFPB is Vital to Protecting Consumers in the Deep South

An Independent CFPB is Vital to Protecting Consumers in the Deep South

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court heard an… Read More >

CDFIs Positioned to Receive Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds for Underserved Communities in Emerging Climate Crisis

CDFIs Positioned to Receive Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds for Underserved Communities in Emerging Climate Crisis

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) throughout the nation are building capacity in preparation to address the emerging climate crisis. A key aspect of this work is preparing to deploy the unprecedented federal Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds (GGRF). The GGRF, as… Read More >

Investing in Black Led Institutions and CDFIs Drives Wealth in Southern Rural Communities

Investing in Black Led Institutions and CDFIs Drives Wealth in Southern Rural Communities

Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to… Read More >

HOPE Partners Submit Comments on NCUA Minority Depository Program

HOPE Partners Submit Comments on NCUA Minority Depository Program

At the end of August, Inclusiv, the national trade… Read More >

CFPB’s New Report Highlights Unequal Banking Services and Debt Burdens for Consumers in the Rural South

CFPB’s New Report Highlights Unequal Banking Services and Debt Burdens for Consumers in the Rural South

The southern region is rich of social and cultural resources—characterized by a diverse population, strong community and familial bonds, lively cultural and art scene, and transformative social action. More than a third of the region are people of color, and… Read More >

Black Households Face Higher Mortgage Denials than White Applicants, Research Finds

Black Households Face Higher Mortgage Denials than White Applicants, Research Finds

Homeownership is critical for wealth generation… Read More >

Centering the Experiences of Women is crucial to Increasing Financial Stability

Centering the Experiences of Women is crucial to Increasing Financial Stability

Financial literacy is central to building… Read More >

The Wage Gap, Homeownership, and Economic Mobility

The Wage Gap, Homeownership, and Economic Mobility

As a Black and women-owned financial institution, HOPE supports policies that position women to build assets and remove economic mobility barriers. One perennial policy challenge continues to be the wage gap in earnings by gender and race. And, while income… Read More >

HOPE Partners Submit Comment on CDFI Fund’s Financial and Technical Assistance Fund Programs

HOPE Partners Submit Comment on CDFI Fund’s Financial and Technical Assistance Fund Programs

In early March, The Department of Treasury CDFI… Read More >

HOPE Partners Submit Comment on the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Implementation Framework

HOPE Partners Submit Comment on the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Implementation Framework

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently… Read More >

Partners for Rural Transformation Submits Comments to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Proposed Rule

Partners for Rural Transformation Submits Comments to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Proposed Rule

Earlier this year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a new proposed Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule for comment. The proposed rule intends to strengthen fair housing efforts by requiring grantees like states and local governments to set… Read More >

HOPE Weighs in on Changes to NMTC Transaction Level Report

HOPE Weighs in on Changes to NMTC Transaction Level Report

Introduction: Early February, the CDFI Fund… Read More >

FDIC Data Reveals Inequities in Financial Inclusion for Women

FDIC Data Reveals Inequities in Financial Inclusion for Women

Having access to a mainstream financial bank… Read More >

Fair Housing History Highlights Critical Efforts of Women and People of Color to Improve Economic Mobility, but the Work Continues

Fair Housing History Highlights Critical Efforts of Women and People of Color to Improve Economic Mobility, but the Work Continues

“I remember a nice white man who asked me during the open housing marches, ‘What is it you people want?’ I said, ‘My dear man, the same things you want. A place to live, green grass, a white picket fence,… Read More >

2023 Fourth Quarter Report

2023 Fourth Quarter Report

Black History is American’s History. And it’s… Read More >

2023 Third Quarter Report

2023 Third Quarter Report

Dear Friends, Earlier this month, we hosted our… Read More >

2023 Second Quarter Report

2023 Second Quarter Report

Dear Friends, At HOPE, we frequently draw on the transformative power of ownership in our work. For example, we know that each additional year of homeownership increases a household’s net worth by more than $13,000. We also know that the… Read More >

2023 First Quarter Report

2023 First Quarter Report

Dear Friends, “We all have an interest in… Read More >

Reflections on Economic Mobility Forum: Experts Weigh-In on Challenges and Significance of Financial Inclusion

Reflections on Economic Mobility Forum: Experts Weigh-In on Challenges and Significance of Financial Inclusion

This week, HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation, Hope… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comments on CDFI Fund Certification Process

HOPE Submits Comments on CDFI Fund Certification Process

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are crucial to providing capital to low-income and underserved neighborhoods. Each year, CDFIs, like HOPE, deploy millions of dollars in financing and services to small business owners, first-time homebuyers, and commercial realtors to build critical… Read More >

HOPE Submits Public Comment on Opportunities and Challenges in Federal Community Investment Programs

HOPE Submits Public Comment on Opportunities and Challenges in Federal Community Investment Programs

Throughout HOPE’s 25-year history, federal… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comments to the Federal Housing Finance Agencies on 2022-2024 Underserved Market Plans

HOPE Submits Comments to the Federal Housing Finance Agencies on 2022-2024 Underserved Market Plans

Homeownership is a key opportunity for families to… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comments on Minority Lending Institution Designation Criteria

HOPE Submits Comments on Minority Lending Institution Designation Criteria

Minority-serving institutions serve a critical role in combatting capital access gaps and racial wealth inequities for communities of color. The CDFI Fund requested comments on how best to understand and define “minority lending” institutions. As one of the nation’s largest Black- and… Read More >

Partners for Rural Transformation Submits Comments to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Mortgage Refinance and Forbearance

Partners for Rural Transformation Submits Comments to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Mortgage Refinance and Forbearance

The Partners for Rural Transformation (PRT) is… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comments to Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund

HOPE Submits Comments to Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund

Low-resourced communities often experience the… Read More >

On the Fight for Economic Justice: Stories of Resiliency, Ingenuity, & HOPE in the Deep South

On the Fight for Economic Justice: Stories of Resiliency, Ingenuity, & HOPE in the Deep South

Apart from being a cultural mecca of vibrant music, delicious food, rich arts, and culture, the Deep South is characterized by a history of economic exclusion and racial degradation, especially for Black neighborhoods and communities. From chattel slavery to Jim… Read More >

CDFIs Positioned to Receive Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds for Underserved Communities in Emerging Climate Crisis

CDFIs Positioned to Receive Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds for Underserved Communities in Emerging Climate Crisis

Community Development Financial Institutions… Read More >

HOPE VP of Policy & Advocacy Kiyadh Burt Testifies Before U.S. House Financial Services Committee on Challenges and Solutions to Closing Racial Wealth Gap in Black Belt Communities

HOPE VP of Policy & Advocacy Kiyadh Burt Testifies Before U.S. House Financial Services Committee on Challenges and Solutions to Closing Racial Wealth Gap in Black Belt Communities

On November 15th, 2022, Vice President of Policy… Read More >

Forthcoming Legislation Targets Predatory Overdraft and NSF Fees

Forthcoming Legislation Targets Predatory Overdraft and NSF Fees

Changes in consumer behavior, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and growing pressure from regulatory agencies & Congress have prompted new policies on overdraft and non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees for financial institutions. Financial institutions charge overdraft and NSF fees against… Read More >

Ground Breaking Investment in Community Financial Institutions Successfully Deployed

Ground Breaking Investment in Community Financial Institutions Successfully Deployed

Yesterday, HOPE CEO, Bill Bynum joined Vice… Read More >

HOPE Submits Public Comment on Updates to the Community Reinvestment Act

HOPE Submits Public Comment on Updates to the Community Reinvestment Act

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) has been a… Read More >

Findings from the Survey of Household Economics and Decision Making – Part 2

Findings from the Survey of Household Economics and Decision Making – Part 2

This blog represents the second of two blogs that unpack findings from the Federal Reserve Board annual Survey of Household Economics and Decision Making. In the previous blog, we paid particular attention to gaps in banking and credit access and housing.… Read More >

Findings from the Survey of Household Economics and Decision Making – Part 1

Findings from the Survey of Household Economics and Decision Making – Part 1

In May, the Federal Reserve Board released… Read More >

HOPE and African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs Affirm Transparency in SSBCI 2.0

HOPE and African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs Affirm Transparency in SSBCI 2.0

U.S. Treasury recently issued an interim… Read More >

Vice President Harris Visits Mississippi Delta to Highlight Investments in Small Businesses and Community-based Lenders

Vice President Harris Visits Mississippi Delta to Highlight Investments in Small Businesses and Community-based Lenders

On Friday, April 1, 2021, Vice President Kamala Harris came to Greenville, Mississippi to highlight the opportunities for investing in small businesses and communities. A centerpiece of her remarks was the critical role that community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and… Read More >

High-Cost Debt Traps Widen Racial Wealth Gaps in Memphis, TN

High-Cost Debt Traps Widen Racial Wealth Gaps in Memphis, TN

High-cost loans in Memphis carry different names:… Read More >

HOPE Calls on CFPB to Strengthen HMDA Reporting to Identify Discriminatory Mortgage Lending Patterns in the Deep South

HOPE Calls on CFPB to Strengthen HMDA Reporting to Identify Discriminatory Mortgage Lending Patterns in the Deep South

Recently, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau… Read More >

2022 Fourth Quarter Report

2022 Fourth Quarter Report

Dear Friends, In 2019, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell came to Mississippi Valley State University, a Historically Black University to speak at HOPE’s Rural Places, Rural Spaces policy forum. During his visit, the first by a sitting Fed Chairman to… Read More >

2022 Third Quarter Report

2022 Third Quarter Report

Dear Friends, This fall, Hope Credit Union pledged… Read More >

2022 Second Quarter Report

2022 Second Quarter Report

Dear Friends, In the late nineties, HOPE worked… Read More >

2022 First Quarter Report

2022 First Quarter Report

Dear Friends, In April 1967, Senator Robert Kennedy traveled to Mississippi to see first-hand the effect of poverty on Black families in the Delta. Fifty-five years later, memories of that trip were evoked when Vice President Kamala Harris visited Greenville… Read More >

HOPE CEO Bill Bynum Testifies Before U.S. House Financial Services Committee on the Outsized Role of Mission-Focused Lenders in Supporting Jobs, Businesses, and People in Underserved Communities

HOPE CEO Bill Bynum Testifies Before U.S. House Financial Services Committee on the Outsized Role of Mission-Focused Lenders in Supporting Jobs, Businesses, and People in Underserved Communities

On February 19, 2022, HOPE CEO Bill Bynum… Read More >

Deep South Small Businesses, Community Organizations, and Mission-Based Lenders Urge Strong Fair Lending Rules for Small Businesses

Deep South Small Businesses, Community Organizations, and Mission-Based Lenders Urge Strong Fair Lending Rules for Small Businesses

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is in the… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comments to Advance Fair Lending for Small Businesses

HOPE Submits Comments to Advance Fair Lending for Small Businesses

Click here to read HOPE’s response to the request for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Public Comments regarding Small Business Lending Data Collection. Read More >

Funders Help Erase More than $35 Million of Debt for Vulnerable Arkansans

Funders Help Erase More than $35 Million of Debt for Vulnerable Arkansans

Unveils Policy Recommendations to… Read More >

The Legacy of Black Collective Economic Development

The Legacy of Black Collective Economic Development

Black co-operative efforts have undergirded the… Read More >

Resources Designed for Rural, Persistent Poverty Communities Vital Now More than Ever

Resources Designed for Rural, Persistent Poverty Communities Vital Now More than Ever

Small, rural communities often face significant challenges in gaining access to the resources created to support economic opportunity in distressed communities. This is particularly true in areas of persistent poverty, where communities have experienced high rates over poverty for more… Read More >

VP Harris and Secretary Yellen Announce Historic Community Development Investment Hope Credit Union to Receive $88 Million Investment, Largest in Credit Union’s History

Groundbreaking investment will forever change… Read More >

Hope Policy Institute Releases New Report Highlighting Racial Disparities in Arkansas Housing Market

Findings Reveal Housing Discrimination and… Read More >

African American, Latino, Credit Union Trade Associations Join HOPE in Applauding NCUA Move to Empower Credit Unions to Fully Participate in Pandemic Response Funds

African American, Latino, Credit Union Trade Associations Join HOPE in Applauding NCUA Move to Empower Credit Unions to Fully Participate in Pandemic Response Funds

“We applaud the actions taken by the NCUA Board of Directors to empower credit unions to fully participate in the Emergency Capital Investment Program. By allowing low-income credit unions to accept 30-year ECIP funding, more than six million additional homeowners,… Read More >

African American, Latino, Credit Union Trade Associations Join HOPE in Urging National Credit Union Administration to Rollback rules that Limit Credit Union Access to Pandemic Response Funds

African American, Latino, Credit Union Trade Associations Join HOPE in Urging National Credit Union Administration to Rollback rules that Limit Credit Union Access to Pandemic Response Funds

On October 1, 2021 the African American Credit… Read More >

Community Development Organizations Led by People of Color Underrepresented in NMTC Awards

Community Development Organizations Led by People of Color Underrepresented in NMTC Awards

A new report from Hope Policy Institute highlights… Read More >

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Advances Fair Lending Rules for Small Businesses

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Advances Fair Lending Rules for Small Businesses

HOPE Response to Historic Step by the CFPB Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Consumer Bureau) took a significant step towards a fairer marketplace for small businesses. The Consumer Bureau released its proposed framework for requiring that lenders provide transparent… Read More >

Problems Remain for Minority Businesses after PPP Ends

Problems Remain for Minority Businesses after PPP Ends

Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program… Read More >

Hurricane Ida Adds More Instability to a Region that has Disproportionately Experienced Hardship and Neglect

Hurricane Ida Adds More Instability to a Region that has Disproportionately Experienced Hardship and Neglect

Our thoughts are with those who have been impacted… Read More >

Federal Housing Finance Agency Duty to Serve Request for Information: 2022-2024 Underserved Market Plans

Federal Housing Finance Agency Duty to Serve Request for Information: 2022-2024 Underserved Market Plans

Thank you for the opportunity to share comments in response to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Request for Information on the 2022-2024 Underserved Market Plans for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Hope Credit Union / Hope Enterprise Corporation /… Read More >

Federal Consumer Protections Must Act as Buoy for Rural Borrowers Drowning in Debt

Federal Consumer Protections Must Act as Buoy for Rural Borrowers Drowning in Debt

Even before the pandemic, people living in the… Read More >

Homeowner Assistance Funds critical to preserve Black homeownership throughout the Deep South

Homeowner Assistance Funds critical to preserve Black homeownership throughout the Deep South

As the nation seeks to recover from COVID-19, Deep… Read More >

Our Leaders Must Understand the Realities of Small, Rural Communities to Ensure Pandemic Relief Funds Are Distributed Equitably

Our Leaders Must Understand the Realities of Small, Rural Communities to Ensure Pandemic Relief Funds Are Distributed Equitably

New proposed guidance from U.S. Treasury to distribute pandemic relief money to local governments more equitably is step in the right direction A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, local governments are still spiraling from the economic crisis it caused and… Read More >

The State Small Business Credit Initiative: A $3 Billion Opportunity for the Deep South

The State Small Business Credit Initiative: A $3 Billion Opportunity for the Deep South

The State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI)… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comments to Ensure Struggling Homeowners Can Access Foreclosure Relief

HOPE Submits Comments to Ensure Struggling Homeowners Can Access Foreclosure Relief

Deep South communities served by HOPE, especially… Read More >

Deep South Advocates Lift Up Strategies to Remove the Barriers of Criminal Justice Debt

Deep South Advocates Lift Up Strategies to Remove the Barriers of Criminal Justice Debt

On April 1, 2021, Hope Policy Institute and the Southern Economic Advancement Project hosted a webinar, “Examining the Intersection of Criminal Justice Debt and Economic Opportunity in the Deep South” featuring the Southern Center for Human Rights, the Sycamore Institute,… Read More >

HOPE CEO Bill Bynum Testifies Before U.S. Senate Banking Committee on Building an Inclusive Economy in Rural Communities

HOPE CEO Bill Bynum Testifies Before U.S. Senate Banking Committee on Building an Inclusive Economy in Rural Communities

Below is an excerpt of testimony provided by Bill… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comment Calling for Racial Equity in New Markets Tax Credit Program

Mr. Christopher AllisonNMTC Program ManagerCDFI… Read More >

2021 Fourth Quarter Report

2021 Fourth Quarter Report

Dear Friends, Since the onset of the pandemic, HOPE played a leading role in efforts to secure resources to assist financially fragile and historically underserved communities that were hit hardest by the ensuing economic crisis. These efforts resulted in $27… Read More >

2021 Third Quarter Report

2021 Third Quarter Report

Dear Friends, On any given day, more than… Read More >

2021 Second Quarter Report

2021 Second Quarter Report

Dear Friends, As the pandemic rages on, states in… Read More >

2021 First Quarter Report

2021 First Quarter Report

Dear Friends, With the first quarter of 2021 behind us, we look forward with cautious optimism toward better conditions and greater opportunity for Deep South families and communities. Over the past year, HOPE has provided more than 4,000 SBA Paycheck… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comment to Federal Reserve’s Proposed Changes to the Community Reinvestment Act

HOPE Submits Comment to Federal Reserve’s Proposed Changes to the Community Reinvestment Act

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) has been a… Read More >

Deep South Receives over $1.4 billion in Rental Assistance Funds: Recommendations for an Equitable Response

Deep South Receives over $1.4 billion in Rental Assistance Funds: Recommendations for an Equitable Response

A recent Household Pulse Survey shows that 1 in 3… Read More >

What is Next for Mississippi’s Coronavirus Relief Funds?

What is Next for Mississippi’s Coronavirus Relief Funds?

As part of the federal CARES Act legislation, Mississippi received $1.25 billion through the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF). This money could be used for unexpected expenses related to COVID-19. In June, the Mississippi legislature allocated these funds to provide relief… Read More >

Key Designations in New PPP Increase Access for Small Businesses

Key Designations in New PPP Increase Access for Small Businesses

Congress recently passed the Consolidated… Read More >

Racial Inequities in the Distribution of Louisiana’s Coronavirus Relief Funds: A Report for Community Leaders

Racial Inequities in the Distribution of Louisiana’s Coronavirus Relief Funds: A Report for Community Leaders

Calandra Davis, Hope Policy Institute George… Read More >

Closing Lending and Resource Gaps among CDFIs is Necessary to Ensure Financial Inclusion for Communities of Color

Closing Lending and Resource Gaps among CDFIs is Necessary to Ensure Financial Inclusion for Communities of Color

While Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are mandated to serve low-income communities, this alone has not been sufficient to ensure CDFI lending reaches into communities of color. This brief documents disparities in CDFI reach into communities of color, as well… Read More >

HOPE’s Strategic Use of New Markets Tax Credits Maximizes Development Impact in Distressed Communities in the Deep South

HOPE’s Strategic Use of New Markets Tax Credits Maximizes Development Impact in Distressed Communities in the Deep South

The federal New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program… Read More >

CDFIs’ Indispensable Role in Connecting Small Businesses with PPP Loans in the Deep South

CDFIs’ Indispensable Role in Connecting Small Businesses with PPP Loans in the Deep South

Community Development Financial Institutions… Read More >

Survey Shows Food Security is the Top Challenge for Many Mississippi Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Survey Shows Food Security is the Top Challenge for Many Mississippi Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic

A recent survey of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients from the Southern Economic Advancement Project’s (SEAP) South Strong project found that many Mississippians are facing exacerbated challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic in paying for basic necessities like food, housing, utilities… Read More >

HOPE Matters: November 2020

HOPE Matters: November 2020

HOPE, Southport Development Complete Innovative… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comments on CFPB’s Section 1071 Rulemaking

Below is a summary of HOPE’s comments: Section… Read More >

Medical Debt in the Mississippi Delta

Though it is not visible in a drive through the backroads of the Mississippi Delta, medical debt is casting an oppressive shadow over the people and communities there. Nationally, medical debt and related collection abuses disproportionately impact Black communities, and… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comments and New Analysis to Inform CDFI Certification Process

HOPE Submits Comments and New Analysis to Inform CDFI Certification Process

The CDFI Fund is currently reviewing its… Read More >

Small Local Governments in Mississippi Face Challenges in Accessing State and Federal Relief Funds for their Communities

Small Local Governments in Mississippi Face Challenges in Accessing State and Federal Relief Funds for their Communities

Our last blog highlighted failures in the… Read More >

Louisiana CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds Bypass Underserved Parishes

Louisiana CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds Bypass Underserved Parishes

State lockdowns and the rapid unemployment rise at the beginning of COVID-19 wreaked havoc on local governments’ budgets, as they also faced increased demands of addressing the public health needs of their communities. As summarized here, relief aid designated for… Read More >

Existing Gender and Economic Disparities Must Be Accounted For in Small Business Relief Programs

Existing Gender and Economic Disparities Must Be Accounted For in Small Business Relief Programs

The following is a summary of remarks provided for… Read More >

HOPE Matters: September 2020

HOPE Matters: September 2020

Innovative Partnership Gives Alabama Black Belt… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comments Opposing OCC True Lender

HOPE Submits Comments Opposing OCC True Lender

Acting Comptroller of the CurrencyBrian Brooks400 7th St SWWashington, DC 20219 Re: Comments on Proposal “National Banks and Federal Savings Associations as Lenders” Docket ID: OCC-2020-0026 RIN 1557-AE97 Dear Chairman Brooks: Please find below the comments of the Hope Enterprise… Read More >

New Census Data on Employment Income Loss Underscore Magnitude of Financial Hardship in the Deep South from the Pandemic

New Census Data on Employment Income Loss Underscore Magnitude of Financial Hardship in the Deep South from the Pandemic

Congressional talks for extending federal stimulus… Read More >

Policy Responses to the Economic Crisis Must Take Racial Disparities and Debt-Related Abuses Into Account

Policy Responses to the Economic Crisis Must Take Racial Disparities and Debt-Related Abuses Into Account

In the midst of the growing economic crisis,… Read More >

Review of Arkansas Ready for Business Program: Gaps and Opportunities

Review of Arkansas Ready for Business Program: Gaps and Opportunities

Overview The Arkansas Ready for Business program provided direct grants to over 11,000 businesses across the state that are grappling with the economic crisis brought on by COVID-19. The Arkansas Legislative Council approved the use of federal funds provided through… Read More >

CDFIs and MDIs Continue to Cater to Small Businesses Despite PPP Barriers

CDFIs and MDIs Continue to Cater to Small Businesses Despite PPP Barriers

The Small Business Administration (SBA) recently… Read More >

Minority Depository Institutions in the Deep South

Minority Depository Institutions in the Deep South

Earlier this year, the FDIC released a report on… Read More >

Housing Stability for Mississippi Renters Continues to Be In Jeopardy From COVID-19 as Protections Expire

Housing Stability for Mississippi Renters Continues to Be In Jeopardy From COVID-19 as Protections Expire

Nearly one in two renters have little to no confidence in their ability to pay rent next month, and almost a quarter could not pay rent last month, according to a new survey of Mississippi renters over the last four… Read More >

HOPE Matters: June 2020

HOPE Matters: June 2020

A Paycheck Protection Loan Saves Graduation Day… Read More >

We Are Grieving, and Ready For Our Continued Pursuit of Justice

We Are Grieving, and Ready For Our Continued Pursuit of Justice

These last few months have been hard. As the… Read More >

Fed Report Shows Low Income Families Are Taking the Hit From COVID-19 Job Losses

Fed Report Shows Low Income Families Are Taking the Hit From COVID-19 Job Losses

In his testimony earlier this week to the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said of the COVID-19 crisis: “All of us are affected, but the burdens are falling most heavily on those least… Read More >

HOPE Opposes Proposed Changes to the Community Reinvestment Act

HOPE Opposes Proposed Changes to the Community Reinvestment Act

The following is a summary of HOPE’s comment… Read More >

Despite Changes in Second Phase of PPP, Many Small Businesses Remain Locked Out

Despite Changes in Second Phase of PPP, Many Small Businesses Remain Locked Out

The second round of the Paycheck Protection… Read More >

Southern States Must Act With Urgency to Protect Stimulus Checks from Debt Collectors

Southern States Must Act With Urgency to Protect Stimulus Checks from Debt Collectors

Over 80 million federal CARES Act stimulus payments have been distributed in the past two weeks. Just under half are still left to be sent nationally, with some of the most financially vulnerable people set to begin receiving their payments… Read More >

CDFIs Provide Relief for Minority and Women-Owned Businesses

CDFIs Provide Relief for Minority and Women-Owned Businesses

Despite promises of small business relief, the… Read More >

Closing the CDFI Asset Gap

Closing the CDFI Asset Gap

Community development financial institutions… Read More >

Deep South Job Losses due to COVID-19 likely to Far Eclipse those of the Great Recession

Deep South Job Losses due to COVID-19 likely to Far Eclipse those of the Great Recession

As unemployment claims due to COVID-19 continue to climb, the picture of the economic impact of the current crisis becomes clearer. With the new unemployment claims released April 16, the total initial unemployment claims since March 15 in Deep South States has… Read More >

COVID-19 Unmasks an Existing Economic and Racial Justice Crisis

COVID-19 Unmasks an Existing Economic and Racial Justice Crisis

In a recently published study, State Data and… Read More >

Deep South States’ COVID-19 Response to Financial Insecurity

Deep South States’ COVID-19 Response to Financial Insecurity

As the COVID-19 (coronavirus) global pandemic… Read More >

Sobering estimates of job losses from Covid-19 in the Deep South point to the critical need for targeted economic relief

Sobering estimates of job losses from Covid-19 in the Deep South point to the critical need for targeted economic relief

New estimates from the Economic Policy Institute show estimated job losses in the Deep South upwards of 895,000, or 11.2% of private sector employment (compared with 10.9% nationally). The majority of these losses are projected to be in the leisure, hospitality, and… Read More >

Standing in the Need of Care

Standing in the Need of Care

Nearly half of all Deep South counties do not have… Read More >

HOPE Matters: March 2020

HOPE Matters: March 2020

Crece con HOPE Featured in Emerson Collective’s… Read More >

Proposed Rollbacks in Consumer Financial Protections Would Be Detrimental for Women’s Economic Security

Proposed Rollbacks in Consumer Financial Protections Would Be Detrimental for Women’s Economic Security

In addition to celebrating the historical and cultural contributions of women this Women’s History Month, policy makers should be advancing policies that would make it easier for women to reduce debt, build assets, and improve opportunities for women today and the… Read More >

Continuing the March

Continuing the March

This weekend, HOPE had the honor of joining people… Read More >

Consumer Protection Rollbacks Will Worsen Conditions for Cash Strapped Households

Consumer Protection Rollbacks Will Worsen Conditions for Cash Strapped Households

Having a savings account is one of the best ways… Read More >

Exploring Innovations in Healthy Fresh Food Access in Rural Communities

Exploring Innovations in Healthy Fresh Food Access in Rural Communities

Members of Hope’s Community Economic Development team and Hope Policy Institute, along with local leaders from towns throughout the Mississippi Delta and staff from partner organizations, visited grocery stores that are using innovative models to bring affordable, fresh, healthy food… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comments to FDIC Rent-a-Bank Proposals

HOPE Submits Comments to FDIC Rent-a-Bank Proposals

The Honorable Jelena McWilliamsChairmanFederal… Read More >

HOPE Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Uphold Independence of Consumer Bureau

HOPE Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Uphold Independence of Consumer Bureau

Hope Credit Union / Hope Enterprise Corporation… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comments to OCC Rent-a-Bank Proposals

HOPE Submits Comments to OCC Rent-a-Bank Proposals

The Honorable Joseph M. OttingComptrollerOffice of the Comptroller of the Currency400 7th Street, SWWashington, DC 20219 January 21, 2020 Delivered electronically to regs.comments@occ.treas.gov Re: Comments on OCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Permissible Interest on Loans That Are Sold, Assigned, or… Read More >

FDIC and OCC Rent-A-Bank Proposals Put Deep South Families at Risk of Predatory Lending

FDIC and OCC Rent-A-Bank Proposals Put Deep South Families at Risk of Predatory Lending

Two federal banking regulators are considering… Read More >

Exploring Innovations in Healthy Fresh Food Access in Rural Communities

Exploring Innovations in Healthy Fresh Food Access in Rural Communities

Hello world! Read More >

Mississippi’s Small Business Relief: Gaps and Opportunities

Mississippi’s Small Business Relief: Gaps and Opportunities

As part of its response to the COVID-19, the Mississippi legislature, passed with overwhelming bi-partisan support, a historic relief program to assist small businesses withstand COVID’s economic impact. Despite high-levels of demand from the state’s small businesses, the Mississippi Development… Read More >

Deep South States Provide Over $1.1 Billion in Small Business Relief: Who Benefits, Who is Left Behind?

Deep South States Provide Over $1.1 Billion in Small Business Relief: Who Benefits, Who is Left Behind?

Since May 2020, five Deep South states have… Read More >

Voices from the MS Back to Business Program

Voices from the MS Back to Business Program

Small businesses throughout Mississippi are… Read More >

Analyzing the CDFI Asset Gap: Examining Racial Disparities in CDFI Fund Awardees from 2003 to 2017

Analyzing the CDFI Asset Gap: Examining Racial Disparities in CDFI Fund Awardees from 2003 to 2017

Hope Policy Institute is interested in understanding trends in assets and capital held by minority ownership for CDFI Program awardees. Using institutional level reports (ILR) provided by the CDFI Fund, we completed an initial analysis of fiscal years 2014 and… Read More >

HOPE Submits Comments on USCIS Proposed Fee Increase

HOPE Submits Comments on USCIS Proposed Fee Increase

Ms. Samantha Deshommes, Chief Regulatory… Read More >

HOPE Matters: December 2019

HOPE Matters: December 2019

New Program Launched to Attract Healthy Food… Read More >

New Report Charts Path for Ending Persistent Poverty in Rural America

New Report Charts Path for Ending Persistent Poverty in Rural America

Since 2014, HOPE has collaborated with several community development finance institutions (CDFIs) across the country to eradicate poverty in rural areas. This collaboration, known as Partners for Rural Transformation, is a coalition of six CDFIs located in and serving regions… Read More >

Hope Opposes Payday Loan Rule Repeal

Hope Opposes Payday Loan Rule Repeal

Kathleen L. Kraninger,Director, Bureau of Consumer… Read More >

HOPE CEO Bill Bynum Op-Ed: Fair Housing is Good for Business

HOPE CEO Bill Bynum Op-Ed: Fair Housing is Good for Business

On October 29, the Clarion Ledger published an… Read More >

HOPE Submits Fair Housing Comments

Regulations DivisionOffice of General CounselDepartment of Housing and Urban Development451 7th Street SW, Room 10276Washington, DC 20410-0500 Comment: Implementation of the Fair Housing Act’s Disparate Impact StandardDocked ID: 2019-17542 Dear Secretary Carson, Please find below the comments of the Hope… Read More >

HOPE Matters: September 2019

HOPE Matters: September 2019

NMTC Project to Expand STEM Education and… Read More >

HOPE Matters: July 2019

HOPE Matters: July 2019

NeighborhoodLIFT Places More than 100 Families in… Read More >

HOPE Matters: April 2019

HOPE Matters: April 2019

New School Closes Opportunity Gap for Low-Income Children in Louisiana Hundreds of Louisiana youth from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods now receive their IDEA Innovation education in a new school facility, and HOPE provided financing for the project. IDEA schools prepare students for college,… Read More >

HOPE Matters: January 2019

HOPE Matters: January 2019

HOPE Awarded National Juntos Avanzamos Designation… Read More >

HOPE Matters: December 2018

HOPE Matters: December 2018

Innovative Use of New Market Tax Credits, Bond… Read More >

Louisiana, Mississippi Least Banked States in the Nation

Louisiana, Mississippi Least Banked States in the Nation

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) last month released its biennial survey, the 2017 FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households. The latest survey reveals that Mississippi and Louisiana are the least fully banked states in the nation. In fact,… Read More >

Reforming the Community Reinvestment Act Regulatory Framework

Reforming the Community Reinvestment Act Regulatory Framework

The Honorable Joseph OttingComptroller of the… Read More >

Deep South States among the Least Credit Worthy in the Nation

Deep South States among the Least Credit Worthy in the Nation

Credit is an important asset and helps determine a… Read More >

Understanding Food Insecurity in the Deep South

Understanding Food Insecurity in the Deep South

The United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but wealth remains elusive for many Americans, particularly those in the Deep South. Nationally, 43.1 million Americans live in poverty, with a substantial portion in the South (41.1%). Higher… Read More >

20 Percent of Households in the Deep South Struggle to Afford Enough Food

20 Percent of Households in the Deep South Struggle to Afford Enough Food

Despite an improving economy, 20 percent of… Read More >

College Attainment a Dream for Many in the Deep South

College Attainment a Dream for Many in the Deep South

This blog explores the barriers, like student loan… Read More >

Prosperity Now Scorecard: Housing and Homeownership

Prosperity Now Scorecard: Housing and Homeownership

June is National Homeownership Month – a time that reaffirms the value of homeownership, particularly as a tool for homeowners to save and build wealth. Homeownership is an essential part of the “American Dream,” and plays an important role in how low-income… Read More >

Black History Month: Economic Justice was Never an Aside

Black History Month: Economic Justice was Never an Aside

The first time that Fannie Lou Hamer attempted to… Read More >

Place Matters: Restoring the American Dream in the Deep South

Place Matters: Restoring the American Dream in the Deep South

People who live in long-term poverty experience a… Read More >

HOPE Matters: January-February 2018

HOPE Matters: January-February 2018

US Partnership on Mobility from Poverty Releases “Restoring the American Dream” What would it take to dramatically increase mobility from poverty? The US Partnership on Mobility from Poverty, a group of 24 experts (including HOPE CEO Bill Bynum) recently began… Read More >

Provine High School Branch a Step Toward Financial Literacy

Provine High School Branch a Step Toward Financial Literacy

According to a 2017 WalletHub article, the Deep… Read More >

Policy in Action: Investments in the Local and Regional Food Economy

Policy in Action: Investments in the Local and Regional Food Economy

Recently, local farmers, small business operators,… Read More >

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HOPE employee supporting a couple during a member services interaction.