The authors' simple model of the mortgage underwriting process provides a framework within which to define discrimination and various notions of the default rate. By providing those with differing views a common framework for discussing their positions, the model clarifies and reconciles some of...

This article provides background on the evolution of Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and fair lending regulations, summarizes the relevant economic literature, and evaluates the effectiveness of the regulations by analyzing recent trends in mortgage lending activity. Are the trends in line with...

Several articles in the popular press have asserted that a simple comparison of average mortgage default rates for white and minority applicants is necessary and sufficient to uncover discrimination in mortgage lending. The fallacy of this assertion has been examined in Peterson (1981), Tootell...

The results of this study indicate that minority applicants, on average, do have greater debt burdens, higher loan-to-value ratios, and weaker credit histories and they are less likely to buy single-family homes than white applicants, and that these disadvantages do account for a large portion...

An evaluation of the feasibility of using Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data to form quantitative measures of fair lending for use in enforcement. The authors find that cross-lender differences in minority and low-income originations primarily reflect differences in application rates, not...

The existence of discrimination and/or redlining in mortgage lending has been debated intensively for years. Traditionally, the lender's role in credit availability has been scrutinized. Yet other institutions, specifically mortgage insurers, often help determine whether a mortgage is granted; if...