OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland City Council's Community Economic Development Agency committee is to vote today on a tough measure against predatory lending.
If it passes the four-member committee it will be reviewed by the full eight-member council July 17 and put to a council vote July 24.
Ralph Nader has endorsed the measure, which among other things would prohibit financing single-premium credit insurance with loans; prohibit repeated refinancings that do not benefit the borrower; require that borrowers get loan counseling when taking out certain "high cost" loans; and require any lender wanting to do business with Oakland to prove that it does not engage in predatory practices.
