Using a unique experiment of anonymizing online loan applications, we find that anonymous loan applications reduce racial disparities in access to credit. With names on applications, ethnic minority applicants are 10.6% less likely to receive online loan offers than otherwise identical ethnic...

Low-income and Black households are less likely to own bank accounts and visit bank branches than high-income and White households. We assess whether unequal bank access can explain why. We propose a novel measure of bank access based on the locations of bank branches and consumer trips to those...

This paper examines whether methodological deficiencies in the literature on discrimination in small business credit markets have a significant impact on the estimation of discrimination and provides a preliminary investigation into the causes of discrimination in these markets. We find...

The concept of testimonial injustice, due to Miranda Fricker, captures cases where structural prejudices about a person’s social identity lead people to assign lower credibility to her utterances. On Fricker’s account, these prejudices have to be false. This paper considers testimonial...

Studies examining mortgage choice behavior generally assume a frictionless mortgage market in which borrower decisions are influenced only by economic variables. This study explores the interface between demographic and institutional factors inherent in mortgage market logistics and the...

A large literature has detailed the seminal roles played in the Civil Rights Movement by activists, new political organizations, churches, and philanthropies. But black-owned businesses also provided a behind-the-scenes foundation for the movement’s success. Many black-owned businesses...

We study the relationship between the labor market for loan officers and access to credit in the residential mortgage market. Using novel data matching the (near) universe of mortgage applications to loan officers, we find that minorities are significantly underrepresented among mortgage loan...

We highlight the role of financial constraints in contributing to persistent disparities in wealth and access to geographic opportunities across demographic groups. We document a racial leverage gap—Black borrowers have substantially higher LTV ratios at mortgage origination, reflecting...

Bank accounts are critical for participation in the modern economy. However, these accounts frequently require maintenance fees and incur overdraft charges. We assess whether minimum account balances to avoid fees, account maintenance fee amounts, and non-sufficient funds charges are...

We study links between the labor market for loan officers and access to mortgage credit. Using novel data matching the (near) universe of mortgage applications to loan officers, we find that minorities are significantly underrepresented among loan officers. Minority borrowers are less likely to...