Room for Debate: The Allure of Easy Money
The New York Times Room for Debate featured articles on regulation of short-term loans. Dennis Shaul of the Community Financial Services Association and Professor Lisa Servon of the New School argue that payday loans provide low-income borrowers essential access to capital and should be allowed latitude within reasonable bounds. Valerie Wilson of the Economic Policy Institute and Gary Kalman of the Center for Responsible Lending are more wary of the risks, arguing that stringent federal regulations are needed to prevent repeat borrowing. Jamie Fulmer of Advance America and Raj Date, former deputy director of the CFPB, are optimistic about new lending innovations and advocate regulations that encourage new practices that increase efficiency and make more capital available.