Credit unions

Amplify Credit Union in Austin provided funding for the construction of 28 tiny homes to create more affordable housing in Round Rock, Texas. Several banks had previously shot down the project.

To help those who may not get paid during a budget deadlock, credit unions are reviving past programs such as low-interest loans, payment deferrals and forms of relief.

Georgia United Credit Union is collaborating with the income-verification fintech Argyle to combat submissions of false documents and other crimes.

As the Latino population in the U.S. expands, so does the business case for banks and credit unions that want to tailor services for this audience.

Michigan State University Federal Credit Union will open five branches in the Windy City to serve the more than 10,000 members and potential members living there. This marks the first time that the institution has expanded beyond its home state.

The average credit union member had saved $286 less in March compared to a year earlier. That was the largest per-member drop in credit union history, fueled by rising costs of living and more aggressive competition.

The $4 billion-asset United Federal Credit Union partnered with the Nevada Housing Division to offer first-time homebuyers access to down-payment assistance.

Twenty lenders from across the country are participating in Underwriting for Racial Justice, a collaborative effort to develop new criteria that will enable marginalized borrowers to gain access to credit.

Under guidelines proposed this month, credit unions would see changes in the quality standards for computer-generated appraisal systems, along with when and how financial institutions and consumers can request reconsiderations of value.

Companies like U.S. Bancorp have found ways to apply the information they use to serve thin-file applicants to small-business owners and other borrowers.

Community Financial Credit Union is partnering with the hosts of "Bargain Block" to renovate low-cost homes and help prospective buyers qualify for their first mortgage.

Collins Community Credit Union in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, said Monday that it laid off 38 employees, primarily in its mortgage lending division. In September, GreenState Credit Union in North Liberty, Iowa, cut 42 employees, or about 5% of its workforce.

AI, ML, predictive analytics and complex algorithms can help lenders expand credit to more consumers, but some critics feel the technology can feed into existing discrimination and bias that applicants face.

By offering financial education through local crisis centers and community groups — and following through with access to credit — many credit unions are building trust with people who had been wary of working with mainstream institutions.

Ryan Donovan, a longtime credit union advocate and executive vice president of the Credit Union National Association, will officially succeed John von Seggern on Sept. 6.

Multiple factors have slowed residential sales, tightening the market for home loans for banks and credit unions.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is examining whether artificial intelligence discriminates against minorities and other applicants. But GreenState Credit Union in Iowa says the technology can be harnessed to make lending fairer in underserved communities.

Branches across the country have closed temporarily, or switched to drive-thru service, as infections and quarantine rules have forced many bank workers to stay home.

The new state law, signed by the governor Wednesday and backed by the financial services industry, is intended to make notary services more accessible for older people, those with disabilities and residents of rural areas.

Alliant Credit Union in Chicago is building a database of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau enforcement actions to analyze patterns over time and help it formulate a compliance program that will withstand political swings in Washington.