You’ve Got Questions?

by Lynn Arseneau

Dear Lynn,

Thanks for your column, we read it ever y month. We heard someone t alking about buying a home and something called “Redlining.” They were at another t able in a rest aurant so I couldn’t ask them what it was. So, we decided to send you a letter and ask you.

Thank you, Claudia and Gerr y

Dear Claudia and Gerr y, Thanks for reading ever y month, appreciated! The label “Redlining” was given to a lending practice that began in the 1930s. Lenders would mark maps throughout neighborhoods that were predominantly black as a way to deny a mor tgage, they would claim it was high risk . Because of this, a system was created where lenders regularly denied mor tgages based on where an applicant lived rather than based on the individual borrower’s credit and ability to acquire a loan

In the 1960s this practice was banned. Lenders cannot discriminate against a protected class by denying financial ser vices or be charged at a dif ferent rate.

The Civil Rights movement was success- ful in causing Congress to pass laws preventing banks from discriminating against protected classes of borrowers in cer t ain areas based on their race or gender In the 1970s, a law was also created to mandate financial institutions to meet the needs of underser ved communities by lending. The Fair Housing Act prevents redlining in mor tgage lending.

“ The Fair Housing Act (Hud.gov) was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 as par t of the Civil Rights Act. As it relates to mor tgage lending, it prohibits banks from discrimination due to race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial st atus or national origin if they:

• Refuse to make a mor tgage loan or provide other financial assist ance for a home

• Refuse to provide information regarding loans

• Develop dif ferent loan terms or conditions for a protected class, such as higher interest rates or ser vicing fees

• Discriminate in appraising the value of a proper ty

• Condition the availability of a loan on a person’s response to harassment

• Refuse to purchase a loan”

Baby i t ’s COLD ou t side!

You need hot, gooey, butter y comfor t food!

Easy Cinnamon Roll Bread

Awesomeness!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 4 cans of refrigerator biscuits. The ones you POP to open.

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

• 3/4 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 325°F Generously grease 12-cup bunt pan with shor tening or cooking spray In large 1-gallon plastic food storage bag, mix sugar and cinnamon. Separate dough, cut each into quar ters and roll into balls. Shake in bag to coat. Arrange in pan. Melt brown sugar and butter and pour over dough in pan. Sprinkle any remaining sugar over biscuits Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Loosen edges of pan. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Turn upside down onto ser ving plate. Ever yone pulls it apar t at the t able! Ser ve warm with milk, cof fee, tea or ice cream. (Yes, ice cream!)