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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cracking down on fake emotional support, service animals among notable bills from May
While state budget negotiations happen in the background, Wisconsin lawmakers have been busy introducing dozens of bills, spanning from mental health care for college students to protecting endangered bees. Several hundred pieces of legislation are pitched each session, and only a fraction end up becoming law. Around 300 proposals have been introduced since lawmakers reconvened at the state Capitol in January. Here's a roundup of notable ones from May. Most haven't yet received public hearings, the first step on the path to becoming law. You can read our April roundup here. Republicans leading the bill say business and property owners have reported higher cases of emotional support and service animal misrepresentation, with owners using fake harnesses or vests. The bill would enshrine in law landlords' ability to ask tenants for documentation showing a prescription for an emotional support animal. Tenants who provide false documentation or health care providers who don't have a 30-day, established relationship with the patient could face a $500 fine. Under the bill, people who bring fake service animals in public places could face a $200 fine. The state Department of Workforce Development would be required to create signs for businesses that say "task-trained service animals are welcome" and misrepresenting a service animal is against state law. The bill "does not infringe on the federal protections under the Fair Housing Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act. It simply reinforces responsible and verifiable use of those protections in Wisconsin," lawmakers argue. Disability Rights Wisconsin didn't immediately have comment on the bill but is reviewing the proposal. Other states have moved to crack down on people passing off their pets as service animals. Authors: Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara, R-Appleton; Rep. Paul Tittl, R-Manitowoc Lawmakers introduced a group of bills aimed at protecting pollinators. One would name the endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee the official state native insect. Another would create a "Protect Pollinators" license plate, generating revenue for the state's endangered species fund. While there are some Republican supporters, the bills have typically been sponsored by Democrats in past sessions and never made it far in the state Legislature. Bees, butterflies and other insects keep ecosystems thriving, and a whole week in mid-June is dedicated to pollinators. Authors: Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin, D-Whitefish Bay; Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee; Rep. Deb Andraca, D-Whitefish Bay; Rep. Elijah Behnke, R-Chase; Rep. Lee Snodgrass; D-Appleton; Rep. Vincent Miresse, D-Stevens Point More: These Wisconsin specialty license plates were the most popular in 2024 This bill would require the University of Wisconsin System to contract with a vendor to provide virtual mental health services for students, beyond traditional business hours. Campuses have already utilized telehealth, lawmakers note. "Telehealth services have proven to be effective in shortening waiting times to see a provider, and allow patients to receive care at their convenience," bill authors wrote. The bill doesn't include any new funding. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' budget proposal included $22 million for the UW System to support student mental health, including telehealth services and 57 new counselor positions. Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee removed several UW-related portions of Evers' budget at their first meeting, but didn't strike the mental health provisions. The budget will likely be signed later this summer, so it's not clear if mental health funding for UW will be in the final version. Authors: Sen. Jesse James, R-Thorp; Rep. Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville More: The state of mental health across Wisconsin's public universities in 4 charts In Wisconsin, each city, town or village sets its own early voting hours and locations, where voters can cast an absentee ballot in-person starting two weeks before Election Day. This bill would require municipalities to offer a minimum of 20 hours of early voting. Bill authors argue early voting access has become unequal between large cities and smaller towns. Milwaukee offered 10 sites for the November election, for example. But some election officials told VoteBeat it wouldn't make sense for communities with only a few dozen voters and limited clerk capacity. Supporters plan to propose funding in the budget to help smaller communities reach the 20-hour minimum. Authors: Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara, R-Appleton; Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater; Rep. Scott Krug, R-Rome More: Wisconsin early voting surges compared with the 2023 spring election This bipartisan proposal would require the state Department of Health Services to work with health care providers to develop informational materials on menopause and perimenopause, the transitional phase. Those handouts would include information like symptoms, treatments, when to consult a provider, the biological process and how to talk to friends and family. The bill is modeled after legislation in Pennsylvania, where public testimony highlighted the "difficulty women have in being heard and taken seriously discussing menopause and the issues that surround it," lawmakers said. Authors: Sen. Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton; Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara, R-Appleton; Rep. Karen DeSanto, D-Baraboo This proposal could provide up to $2 million for a data sharing pilot program for police and sheriff's departments in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. The grant would reduce siloed data between agencies, helping solve cases faster, bill authors argue. The bill was introduced May 12 and quickly received a hearing May 27 in the Senate. It has at least one Democratic cosponsor. The Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association, which supports the bill, testified that the proposal would help agencies struggling with staffing. "While geographic boundaries may define our jurisdictions, the individuals committing crimes do not recognize or respect those lines," the association said. "Effective information sharing is essential to modern policing." Authors: Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine; Rep. Bob Donovan, R-Greenfield This bipartisan bill would allow funeral processions to use flashing purple lights. Current law allows flashing amber lights during the procession, but that can be ambiguous to divers, lawmakers argue. Bill authors point out purple is a symbol of mourning in many cultures and would be distinct from red and blue lights used by emergency vehicles. Wisconsin would join about a dozen other states that use purple lights for funeral processions, including North Carolina. Authors: Sen. Julian Bradley, R-New Berlin; Sen. Mark Spreitzer, D-Beloit; Rep. Dean Kaufert, R-Neenah Two lawmakers are leading a resolution that urges the "overdue induction" of Jack Vainisi into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Vainisi scouted and drafted 12 future Hall of Famers, from Bart Starr to Ray Nitschke, and played an important role in persuading the team to hire Vince Lombardi. He "may have had more influence on the Packers dynasty than any player or coach," lawmakers wrote. Resolutions are different than bills — they express the opinion of lawmakers but don't carry the force of state law. The Hall of Fame selection process is intense, with a 50-person selection committee and only a handful of new enshrinees each year. Authors: Sen. Andre Jacque, R-New Franken; Rep. Rob Kreibich, R-New Richmond This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Legislature's May bills include fake service animals
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
South St. Louis man facing eviction alleges housing discrimination against his apartment complex
ST. LOUIS – Navy veteran Kenneth Hansbrough showed us how showering in his apartment can be a treacherous task. As he is wheelchair bound due to a spinal cord injury; Hansbrough tells us he's repeatedly asked management at the Charless Place apartments in south St. Louis for an ADA-compliant shower. He says management responded by installing grab bars. 'I try to hold onto here, sometimes there, sometimes here and sometimes there to try to get off in there,' he said. 'But they installed it wrong and loosely. I kept emailing them, saying, 'Listen, this grab bar needs to be fixed.' They wouldn't fix it until I fell and got a concussion. I was laid out on the floor. I ended up going to the hospital.' Hansbrough believes Charless Place's alleged failure to properly re-install the grab bars violated the Fair Housing Act. His accusation is included in the Housing Discrimination Complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in February 2024. In the complaint his attorney shared with us, Hansbrough also alleges Charless Place discriminated against him on the basis of his disability by failing to provide a reasonable accommodation of rear gate access needed for safe pickups and drop-offs. Hansbrough is legally blind and doesn't drive. He uses Metro's Call-A-Ride service. 'If I got a doctor's appointment going to wherever, if the driver said, 'I don't feel safe going to the front,' they'll say 'I'll pick you up in the back.' Well, they couldn't pick me up in the back because they didn't have a clicker to the gate,' he said. The rear entrance to the Charless Place campus requires a remote to open the gate. Hansbrough says residents with vehicles are given remotes to open the gate, but when he requested one to use, he was told: 'Well, you have to have a car is what the manager told me. I said, 'Well, Call-A-Ride is my car.'' Sheriff pleads the Fifth repeatedly over questions about mysterious death Call-A-Ride sent Charless Place management a letter on Hansbrough's behalf, requesting he be granted rear gate access so its vehicles can safely pick him up and drop him off. 'There are people all around here who have clickers and don't have cars. Both the managers ignored that. They just said, 'Well, you don't get a clicker,'' Hansbrough said. He believes his HUD complaint prompted Charless Place to take legal action against him. In September 2024, Charless Place filed a motion trying to evict him from his apartment. It alleged Hansbrough was 'seen on video breaking and entering through a window.' Charless Place dropped the suit the day the trial was supposed to start. In March, Charless Place tried to evict him again, this time with an unlawful detainer suit. It alleges Hansbrough didn't vacate the property after being given 30-days notice. It says his tenancy was terminated due to property damage and his refusal to pay for damages. Hansbrough fears he could soon be homeless. 'I've never lived on the street. I don't know nothing about living on the street, and that's what really makes me scared to live on the street. I don't know how to do that,' he said. Kalila Jackson is representing Hansbrough in this case. She says unlawful detainer lawsuits have limited defenses. 'The Supreme Court of Missouri has determined years ago that when you're fighting a HUD case, there's limited defenses in those cases,' she said. 'You can't file counter suits in an unlawful detainer case. But the one right that is preserved is that right to the jury trial—and we do intend to request a jury trial—just to have a jury of his peers here and determine if this is something that should that housing providers should be allowed to do.' That brings us back to Hansbrough's HUD complaint. If the results of federal investigation were favorable, Jackson says it could help keep Hansbrough in his apartment. But she fears cuts by the Trump Administration have greatly handcuffed HUD. 'HUD is basically paralyzed. It's not doing anything with cases with any cases. Most people are just waiting to see at HUD what they're going to be allowed to do,' Former Deputy General Counsel for Enforcement and Fair Housing at HUD Sasha Samberg-Champion said. She now works for the National Fair Housing Alliance. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'They have not charged a single case of discrimination in this administration, whether a complicated case, an easy case, a controversial case, a non-controversial case, they've equally charged none of them,' Samberg-Champion said. Hampering HUD's ability to effectively investigate reasonable accommodation complaints could fuel exploitation of the Fair Housing Act, according to Samberg-Champion. 'I think many housing providers understand right now that HUD investigators are a paper tiger, because even if they find a violation, they're not going to be able to do anything. They're not going to be able to demand action or have the case charged. So ultimately, people can just wait HUD out,' she said. Contact 2's Mike Colombo asked the attorney representing Charless Place in this suit for an interview. He responded, saying the firm does not comment on active litigation, adding that we should direct our request to Charless Place. We've contacted Charless Place multiple times and have yet to get a response. As for Hansbrough, he'll have his day in court May 28. 'I've just asked for what the law allows and what just there's no humanity here. That's what I'm missing,' Hansbrough said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Star
25-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
The Ohio legislation that could force Chinese scientists to sell their US homes
Xiang Zhang, a professor of genomics at the University of Cincinnati, drove more than 1,000 miles over two days to oppose a proposed law that would force him to sell his home, even though he is a US permanent resident. 'I never thought that one day, I would have to stand here in front of you to defend myself solely because of my nationality,' he told a packed hearing room in the Ohio Statehouse on Tuesday morning, after cutting short a trip to make it back and give his testimony. 'I never thought that one day, I would lose my house in Ohio solely because of my nationality.' Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Zhang – who arrived in the US in 1998 with just a suitcase and a US$100 bill, and now leads a major research facility that supports hundreds of life scientists across the country – told Public Safety Committee lawmakers that he had been living his American dream. The midwestern state is following in the footsteps of Florida and Texas by proposing legislation to ban non-citizens from 'foreign adversary' countries – such as China, Iran, and Russia – from owning land within 25 miles (40km) of critical infrastructure. House Bill 1, which is supposed to address national security concerns like espionage and cyberattacks, would apply even to green card holders like Zhang. Under SB 88, a related Senate bill, he would be required to sell his house within two years. Ohio Realtors, the state's largest professional trade association, said House Bill 1 would be likely to become 'the most restrictive law of its kind in the entire nation'. Unlike similar laws, Ohio's bill covers nearly all real estate in the state and makes no exceptions for legal residents. In testimony, the association warned that the bill's broad definition of critical infrastructure – which includes electric generation plants, water treatment facilities, and telecommunication systems – would make nearly all property in Ohio off-limits to affected immigrants. The association also noted that the bill could face legal challenges for potentially violating federal laws, including the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. It would also hinder Ohio's universities from 'attracting the best talent from across the globe'. About 100 people attended the hearing, making it one of the most well-attended in recent years, a Statehouse employee said. The crowd was so large that some had to move to an overflow room to watch a live stream of the event. Many in the room were US citizens who would not be directly affected by the bill. They said they came to speak out against what they viewed as a discriminatory law. Among those who testified was Anquan Wang, a senior aerospace engineer at GE Aerospace in Cincinnati. With decades of experience in the aviation industry, Wang said that he had had first-hand encounters with overseas attempts to steal US technologies. 'We need to counter real foreign adversaries. We need to be laser-focused, because the threat is real,' he said. 'But targeting ordinary people who came here legally to study and work is out of focus. Depriving them of constitutional rights to acquire properties is completely wrong and has nothing to do with national security.' Wang said the bill made him feel discriminated against, as it targeted individuals based on national origin – something no one could choose. By casting all citizens from certain countries as potential threats, the law promoted fear and prejudice, he added. 'House Bill 1 is about racial profiling and fear mongering. If this isn't racial profiling, I don't know what racial profiling is. If this isn't fear mongering, I don't know what fear mongering is.' Wang added that his colleague and neighbour Dr Li, a China-born US citizen and senior military aircraft engineer, was already considering leaving Ohio because of the bill. 'Dr Li has worked on military aircraft engine programmes for more than 20 years,' he said. 'When experienced people like him start to leave, it's a great loss to our company. Twenty years of experience in our industry is worth tens of millions of dollars. It also hurts our defence programmes.' I've always believed in passing on my knowledge and skills to the next generation of scientists here in the US, because science, at its heart, is about building something greater than ourselves Wing Keung Chan, a biomedical researcher at The Ohio State University in Columbus, said he had noticed a steady decline in the number of China-born scientists around him over the past couple of years. The bill would only accelerate that trend, he said. Chan, who came to the US in 2008 after completing his PhD at the University of Hong Kong, said he came to pursue his American dream and now worked alongside both Americans and immigrant colleagues on diseases that affected everybody. His efforts included supporting clinical trials, mentoring students, and collaborating across institutions. 'I've always believed in passing on my knowledge and skills to the next generation of scientists here in the US, because science, at its heart, is about building something greater than ourselves,' he said. Citing data from Science and other leading journals, Chan noted that China-born researchers made up a significant portion of the US medical and STEM workforce, contributing heavily to research, healthcare, and higher education. But growing suspicion towards scientists of Chinese descent had already taken a toll, he said. Nearly 20,000 left the US between 2010 and 2021, including more than 1,000 life scientists who departed in 2021 alone. 'Legislation like House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 88 does not protect our future – it jeopardises it,' Chan said. 'It risks turning away the very people who help make Ohio a leader in research, innovation, and healthcare.' Following the hearing, committee chairwoman Cindy Abrams reportedly announced the bill would be amended before advancing further. One possible change would exempt green card holders, but many attendees said that would not go far enough. Xin Yuan, a green card holder and vice-president at JPMorgan Chase & Co in Columbus, warned that if the bill passed, it would send a message to the rest of the country and encourage other states to adopt similar legislation. Yuan testified that her greatest concern was for her young son, who was born in Ohio and considered it home. 'My biggest fear when I had him was how to protect him,' she said. 'If we don't even have the basic right to have a home, what am I supposed to tell him – and how can I protect him?' More from South China Morning Post: For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2025.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The housing gender gap: Why women still face roadblocks in buying homes and building home equity
Though they buy homes in greater numbers, single women lag behind men when it comes to building home equity and wealth. Women wait longer to purchase, pay more for homes when they buy — taking out larger, pricier mortgages — and get less when they sell. Both economic constraints (wage disparities) and psychological mindsets hold women back from homeownership. Resources are available to help women overcome these challenges, including federal and non-profit programs that provide homeownership education and down payment/closing cost assistance. The biggest asset most Americans own is their home: It's the bedrock of their wealth and financial worth. But unfortunately, that rock is less substantial for one sex than for another. For single women, wealth accumulation achieved through home equity lags behind that of single men, according to a Yale School of Management study, 'The Gender Gap in Housing Returns.' Women pay more to buy a home, and reap less when they sell it. They can afford a smaller chunk of the homes on the market and the homes they do purchase tend to be worth less, making their ownership stake less valuable, other studies show. Various reasons exist for this state of affairs, including the continuing wage disparity between the sexes, which has narrowed slightly over the past two decades but continues to exist. The result is women earn about 1.5 percent less in annualized returns from their homes than men — and that 'overall, gender differences in housing explain up to 30 percent of the gender gap in wealth accumulation,' the Yale study says. Current gender data The median weekly earnings of women in the first quarter of 2025 was nearly 84% of men's weekly income Among U.S. states, California, Vermont and New York have the smallest gender pay gaps among full-time year round employees; Utah, Louisiana and Alabama, the largest Among U.S. homebuyers: 20% are single women 8% are single men 62% are married couples Women pay more for their mortgages than men in 49 states — as much as $7,000 more in interest over a loan's term Being denied a loan or financial product made 24% of women feel more stressed about the state of their finances, vs. 19% of men, according to Bankrate's Credit Denials Survey Women today have the same rights as men when it comes to acquiring and owning property. But it was not always so. While they could inherit real estate — and, by 1900, hold title to it in their own names — purchasing it was often difficult. In fact, well into the 20th century, American women typically couldn't take out a mortgage without having a man co-sign the application. It was technically legal for banks to refuse loans and credit to unmarried women, or require a husband's permission for a married female applicant. Things began to change with the passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1968 and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in 1974. 'The Fair Housing Act made it illegal for women to be discriminated against when buying a home and securing a mortgage,' says Miloney Thakrar, founder and principal at Mind the Gender Gap, Inc., a consulting firm focused on gender equity. 'Enactment of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in 1974 made it illegal for creditors — such as a lender or broker — to discriminate on the basis sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity or marital status. In other words, women were finally able to secure a mortgage independently without needing a male cosigner. ' These two pieces of federal legislation — along with women's increasing earning power and presence in the workplace — substantially smoothed the female path to homeownership. In 1981, 73 percent of home buyers were married couples, while just 11 percent were single women and 10 percent were single men, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Fast forward to 2024: 62 percent of homebuyers are married, while 20 percent are single women and 8 percent are single men. In fact, single women have bought more homes than single men every year since at least 1981. The single best year to date for single women in the real estate market was 2006, when they accounted for 22 percent of home buyers. But that doesn't mean it's easy for women. Particularly amid current market conditions, says Jessica Lautz, the NAR's deputy chief economist and vice president of research. 'Single women are facing an increasingly unaffordable housing market and are purchasing on the lowest household incomes,' says Lautz. Still, she adds that 'single women are such a force in the market, there may be recognition from experts, such as mortgage brokers and Realtors, that these women have done their homework and any hurdle in their way, they will surmount.' Despite all of the progress, achieving homeownership and substantial home equity is still challenging for many women. Much of that has to do with the fact that they make smaller down payments and take out bigger mortgages, meaning they start out with less of an ownership stake than single men do. When it comes to buying, the difficulty is often due to economic problems. According to Bankrate's Down Payment Survey, coming up with the cash can be challenging for women: over half (54 percent) of the female respondents saw expenses from down payments and closing costs as a very significant obstacle. Moreover, when asked, 'How long, if at all, do you anticipate it will take you to save up for a down payment on a home?,' 22 percent of women who would like to own a home someday responded they'd never be able to save enough — compared to just 17 percent of men who felt that way. 'There is a significant difference between the household income of single men and women who purchase homes. The household income will influence the number of homes in their price range and make the search more difficult in some areas,' Lautz observes: Among first-time homebuyers, $88,300 (for him) compared to $72,500 (for her), according to NAR data. 'Women who are trying to get on the first rung of the homeownership ladder are starting from behind,' agrees Orphe Divounguy, senior economist for Zillow, the real estate platform. 'This is partly because single mothers experience a significant pay gap. In addition to the disparities in the labor market, research shows that women tend to have worse credit market experiences than men.' A 2022 Zillow study found that women have access to 18 percent less of the real estate market than men because of the wage gap: In other words, they could buy nearly one-fifth more of the available homes (and presumably, higher-priced homes) if they made as much money as their male counterparts. This in turn, contributes to a 'home value gap': the fact that the homes owned by women tend to be worth less overall than those owned by male-headed households — specifically, worth 92 percent of male-owned homes, according to Zillow data. In addition to all of the challenges already mentioned, the Yale study indicates women pay more for the homes they do buy — and not because they're purchasing pricier places. Rather, they 'negotiate worse discounts relative to the list price' of a home, the Yale study says. To put it bluntly, they don't bargain as well as male home buyers. 'Unfortunately women are known not to be as good at negotiation as men; chalk it up to practice or different levels of comfort with one-on-one negotiations,' says Laura Adams, a personal finance author and speaker. 'That may leave them buying a home at a higher price than a male counterpart would.' And with mortgages, every little bit negotiated off the price counts. Even paying $5,000 or $10,000 more for the purchase price of a home can really add up over time and make it harder to develop as much equity, says Adams. Being negotiation-challenged handicaps women on the selling side, too: Despite buying at higher prices, female homeowners tend to list their properties for lower prices and recoup lower proceeds from the sale, according to the Yale study. Yet another factor impacting the amount of home equity wealth women accumulate is waiting longer to purchase a home. The median age of single female first-time homebuyers is 40 years old, vs. 34 for their male counterparts, according to NAR data. That could largely be due to financial reasons — it taking women longer to amass the money. (In Bankrate's Down Payment Survey, when asked, how long do you anticipate it will take you to save up for a down payment, 74 percent of aspiring female homeowners anticipated it would take at least one year, vs. 79 percent of aspiring male homeowners.) But it could also reflect a less secure mindset. In many cases, 'women [still] feel like they need to have a partner to buy a house with,' says Austin, Texas-based real estate agent Stephanie Douglass, who with business partner Kristina Modares co-founded the brokerage Open House Austin specifically to educate and encourage single female house-hunters. 'Maybe they feel like they're not handy or it's something they feel is too risky to do on their own, but in that time they're waiting, they're losing out on so much equity.' The current interest rate environment is another reason single women are increasingly holding off on buying, adds Douglass. 'They still understand the benefits of home ownership, but the interest rates are making it very hard for one person to afford a mortgage here in Austin and across the nation,' says Douglass. 'Single women are the ones who are going to have to wait more often just because of interest rates.' The good news is: Up-and-coming generations are not holding off on homeownership. Close to half (42 percent) of millennials (ages 28-43) have purchased a home alone, compared to 34 percent of Gen Xers (ages 44-59) and 22 percent of baby boomers (ages 60-78), according to Bankrate's Homebuying Trends Survey. Bankrate insights Women (22 percent) are more likely to agree than men (17 percent) that 'I will never be able to save enough for a down payment on a home' according to Bankrate's Down Payment Survey. The application and review process for obtaining a home equity loan today is no different for singles than it is for married couples, nor is it different for different genders. In general, lenders consider the same types of criteria — credit score, debt-to-income ratio (DTI), income and the amount of equity in the home. Additionally, by law a lender may not deny a loan applicant based on marital status, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), nor can they deny a married individual credit in their own name. Lenders are also prohibited from evaluating applicants on the basis of their sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity, and a sex-related condition (such as pregnancy). 'The process doesn't differ significantly between married couples and single people,' says Thakrar. 'However, when taking into consideration all of the qualifications…the process may take longer for married couples, because it may take longer to collect and analyze all the necessary information to make a determination.' While the process of getting a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit (HELOC) does not differ, single women may have less available home equity to tap, compared to single men or married couples. As the Zillow report indicates, homes owned by women are generally worth less overall. And of course, due to disparities in pay, single female applicants may have less income, fewer assets and greater debts, which could lessen their chances of approval or of getting the best loan terms. Housing and mortgage discrimination is an issue that has impacted the homebuying landscape in America for more than a century. In particular, the practice of redlining, which dates back to the 1930s, involved lenders outlining in red areas on maps where Blacks (and other non-white groups) lived and categorizing them as highly risky investments. This systematic segregation included denial of financing and other housing-related services and opportunities based on race. Women historically have been impacted by mortgage discrimination in other ways. A higher percentage of female-only borrowers are denied mortgages than their male-only counterparts; they have a higher denial rate than couples as well. They also have been unduly victimized by 'pinklining,' a term introduced in a 2016 survey funded by several nonprofit organizations. It refers to the practice of systemically targeting and subjecting women to exploitative and predatory lending techniques and products. Women of color in particular have been 'steered toward subprime loans even when they could have qualified for prime loans,' the 'Pinklining' report charges. The higher interest rates, fees and penalties of these loans make it more likely for female homeowners to fall into ever-tightening debt traps and foreclosure, it further notes. And, not surprisingly, homeownership progress hasn't been equal for all women. A report from the Urban Institute shows that while 70 percent of white female-headed households were homeowners in 2019, just 59 percent of Asian, 45 percent of Black and 40 percent of Hispanic female-headed households owned their home. Yet, despite all this — and their weaker credit/income qualifications — women default less on their mortgages than their male counterparts, an Urban Institute study found. This fact holds true across all ethnic groups. The Fair Housing Act, a subsection of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, outlawed the practice of redlining and discrimination in the real estate industry. Its protections were extended by the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974, which prohibited discrimination specifically against credit or loan applicants on the basis of sex or marital status, and in a 1976 amendment, on the basis of race, color or religion. The subsequent Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) has sought to address mortgage discrimination in a proactive way. Adopted in 1977, the CRA 'requires the Federal Reserve and other federal banking regulators to encourage financial institutions to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they do business, including low- and moderate income neighborhoods,' according to the Federal Reserve. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) enforces these acts. It also operates the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, whose mission is ensuring that there are equal housing opportunities for everyone, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin or family status. Though it seems there may still be more work to be done addressing discrimination based on gender and race as well. 'Discrimination based on sex and familial status are among the most common fair housing complaints filed with federal agencies, along with discrimination based on disability and race,' notes a National League of Cities report. If you're a single woman seeking a mortgage or home equity loan or HELOC , there are resources available to educate you about these products. Bankrate insights According to Bankrate's latest Credit Denials Survey, among U.S. adults who applied for a loan or financial product since December 2023, men and women were denied a mortgage in roughly equal numbers (5% and 4%, respectively). However, when it came to home equity loans or credit lines, double the number of women's applications were denied compared to men's (6% vs. 3%). Some of the available resources include: Federal Trade Commission consumer advice site The FTC provides a series of descriptive articles regarding the risks of a home equity loan and a home equity line of credit (HELOC), explaining the basics of how they work, and how to shop for them. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau federal mortgage rules guide This educational guide outlines exactly what you can expect under government regulations (and protections) when shopping for a mortgage. It covers what type of information lenders legally can and will request from you, financial qualifications for a mortgage, and ways to spot lending discrimination. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development housing counselors HUD offers housing counseling and education services for home buyers. It has counseling service locations throughout the country and counselors can also be reached by phone. In practical terms, there are resources that can help women become homeowners, including help with the significant hurdle of a down payment and of closing costs. These resources include: Home Ready Fannie Mae offers this mortgage product. Requiring as little as 3 percent down, it is designed to help low-income borrowers and is open to both first-time and repeat homebuyers. Home Ready can be used to purchase or refinance a home. Home Possible Sponsored by Freddie Mac, Home Possible is another program that requires only a minimal down payment of 3 percent. In addition, this program allows mortgages to include co-borrowers who do not live in the same home, which can be helpful for low-income women who need assistance from relatives to secure a mortgage. Closing cost assistance programs The National Council of State Housing agencies maintains a directory of closing cost assistance programs around the country. Some programs cover up to 100 percent of closing costs. National Homebuyers Fund NHF, a non-profit corporation, offers down payment assistance programs. Over the past two decades it has awarded more than $538.4 million in funds. The housing gender gap is not a problem that will be solved overnight, and many of its underlying causes — pay inequity, financing difficulties — are beyond any one individual's control. But there are ways women can address their home-buying behavior. First of all, understand the local real estate scene. 'It's important to know whether it's a buyers or sellers market and whether there are a lot of homes on the market when you are negotiating,' Douglass says. Being armed with that information is crucial to your bargaining position. When it comes to negotiating, 'Know what cards you can lay on the table and be willing to walk away,' Douglass adds. 'There's often a very emotional tie with women thinking 'I love this house,' and 'This is where I want to be.' Disconnecting the emotional tie' is important: You also have to consider the purchase rationally, as an investment and wealth-building asset. Doing so can help women make sounder homebuying — and home-equity building — decisions. What is home equity? Home equity is the portion of your home that you own outright. Basically, it is the difference between what your home is worth and how much you still owe on your mortgage — current home value minus outstanding loan balance(s). The amount of home equity you have is the basis for determining how much you can borrow via a home equity loan or home equity line of credit (HELOC). What can home equity be used for? Your home equity can be borrowed against to pay for many of life's significant expenses. It can be used to settle or consolidate outstanding debts or loans, pay your kids' educational costs, or finance home repairs or renovations. Tapping it for home-related expenditures is especially popular, as the loan interest can then be tax-deductible, up to a certain amount. What are the criteria for qualifying for a home equity loan? In general, lenders look for a good credit score (above 700 to get the best rates), a low debt-to-income ratio, a minimum percentage of equity in your home (usually at least 20 percent) and sufficient income for repayments. Not that different from mortgage criteria, actually.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Broken elevator prevents disabled woman living on top floor from access to outside
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — A Chesapeake woman in a wheelchair has been stuck on the top floor of a four-story hotel for more than a month due to a malfunctioning elevator. The Pattons are staying on the top floor of the four-story Woodspring Suites Extended Stay hotel, which hasn't had a working elevator since April 10, and is the last time Joy Patton was outside because she is in a wheelchair and can't make it to the ground floor. Every day since then, her husband, Matt Patton, walks up and down the stairs 'five to six times' a day to get on his bike to run errands while his wife, Joy, remains upstairs. 'I have depression, anxiety, PTSD, [and] I have zero cartilage in either hip,' she said. 'I have arthritis in my knees and my ankles that are degenerative. Just a disease in my spine in Stage 3, and going on Stage 4 for congestive heart failure.' The Pattons say there's been a 'out of service' sign on the elevator on the first floor since April 10. In the fourth-floor room where the couple lives, Joy Patton is frustrated and hurt, having not been outside in 40 days. 'Right now, if I could get away with strangling somebody right now, I would do it,' Joy Patton said. The Pattons said hotel management has not been helpful. 'it is an inconvenience,' Joy Patton said. 'They should be lowering the rate or offering a free room for the inconvenience, or just some kind of something, you know.' 10 on Your Side went to the front desk and spoke to someone who identified herself as the manager, but wouldn't tell us her name. When told Joy Patton hasn't been outside since the elevator breakdown, the manager replied, 'Is that so?' Asked if she feels the pain she has, the manager changed tone and said, 'Absolutely.' 'I feel stuck, I feel trapped, I feel like a hostage,' Joy Patton said. 'I would say a prisoner, but prisoners get to go outside every once in a while, and get fresh air.' Asked if the couple should get some kind of financial relief for the inconvenience, the manager responded by saying 'I can't give you any information at this time. We are in the process of getting it taken care of.' They said they cannot move somewhere else because of the cost. The Pattons also point out the major painting renovation outside, saying if they're going to spend money on fixing it outside, they want it fixed inside, too, so people can come and go easily. The city of Chesapeake responded to a 10 On Your Side inquiry, stating 'Notice of violation was delivered to management … on April 29. … Hotel given to May 29 to repair elevator.' 'We just wanted somebody to hear us because we've been contacting, you know, Americans with Disabilities, Chesapeake Code Enforcement, the fire marshal,' Joy Patton said. According to the Fair Housing Act, for an elevator breakdown, the landlord may be obligated to provide a 'reasonable accommodation' to ensure equal housing. … This could include temporary relocation … to ground floor.' 10 On Your Side pointed this out to hotel management, asking if there was any way to get the Pattons to a first-floor room. The hotel's response: 'No comment. We are working on it.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
