In the northern Louisiana portion of the Eleventh District, an innovative housing program is addressing the needs of homeless veterans. The program is the latest initiative of Volunteers of America of North Louisiana (VOANL), which was established over 75 years ago.

Staff at Volunteers of America of North Louisiana (VOANL) have found that one of the biggest challenges for homeless veterans is developing a long-term vision.

High-cost, short-term loans such as the refund anticipation loan (RAL) have historically been popular with low-income filers. RALs are based on the taxpayer’s expected refund and are issued at the time of filing. They allow the taxpayer to receive an anticipated refund earlier, in the form of...

There are thousands of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites across the country and more than 250 in Texas. Located at libraries, community colleges, churches and community-based organizations, these sites pop up during tax season in areas accessible to low- and moderate-income (LMI) workers.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) encourages work and reduces poverty by rewarding low- and moderate-income working families at tax time. Low-wage workers may receive the EITC even though they owe no tax or are not required to file. When the EITC amount exceeds their tax liability, the...

The profile of an average college student today is not what you might think. The stereotypical image of a college student—right out of high school, living in the dorm, with parents footing the bill—is no longer the reality. Today, the typical college student is a working adult with one or...

The mortgage crisis precipitated a long-lasting economic recession and sent millions of American homeowners into foreclosure. Now, as retail sales, consumer confidence and employment show encouraging progress almost three years after the recession’s end, the housing market is slowly gaining...

In the aftermath of the Great Recession, it is critical to reexamine the definition of what is affordable to a homebuyer and how the measures of housing affordability play out for average households in Texas and the United States.

In the article, Kelly D. Edmiston examines payday lending and provides new empirical evidence on how lending restrictions in the industry affect consumers. His analysis shows that restrictions deny some consumers access to credit, limit the ability to maintain formal credit and force residents...

This article, written by Ann Baddour of Texas Appleseed, describes the reasons behind the emergence of the payday lending industry in Texas and how banks and other for-profit and nonprofit organizations are working to create lower-cost options that address the growing frustration among those who...