Homeowners in the U.S. hold around $34 trillion in home equity. In a new article for New America’s Rooftop Blog, Alys Cohen, Director of Federal Housing Advocacy and Acting Co-Director of Federal Advocacy, notes that many plan to use this equity, the single largest source of family wealth, to fund retirement, pay for long-term care,…
We strongly support DFI’s proposal, but recommend a number of technical improvements to strengthen the rule.
The National Consumer Law Center strongly urges Representatives Scott Conklin and John A. Lawrence to support HB 2120. This critical legislation protects Pennsylvania homeowners from the dangers they face when signing shared equity agreements (SEA), a predatory form of mortgage loan. While marketed as easy cash, SEA mortgages function like the dangerous subprime mortgages that…
Read More about Letter in Support of Pennsylvania HB2120 Regarding Shared Equity Agreements
Law Provides Homeowners With the Most Comprehensive Protections in the Country
This is a letter on behalf of the National Consumer Law Center regarding the Urban Institute’s February 2026 research report (“Report”) on “shared equity products,” commonly known as “home equity investment loans” (“HEI loans”). We urge the Urban Institute to revise the Report to retract the inaccurate legal conclusions that HEI loans are not loans…
Read More about Letter to Urban Institute Regarding Report on HEI Loans
NCLC strongly supports Connecticut HB 5209. It will enact appropriate regulations to protect consumers from this high cost, high risk loan product.
Read More about NCLC Testimony in Support of Connecticut HB 5209, Regulating HEI Loans
This article describes emerging home equity theft schemes, some new and others that have been around for decades.
Read More about Digital Library: Home Equity Theft Scams—An Old Problem Takes on New Forms
Written testimony of Andrea Bopp Stark, National Consumer Law Center to the Maine Legislature Joint Committee of Health, Insurance & Financial Services in support of LD 1901, An Act to Regulate Shared Appreciation Agreements Relating to Residential Property
Read More about Testimony in Support of Maine Bill Regulating Home Equity "Investment" Loans
NCLC strongly supports IDFPR’s proposed regulations to regulate shared appreciation agreements (also known as HEI loans). But we also have a number of suggestions for making the rules clearer and stronger.
Patricia Gout, on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated v. Unison Agreement Corp., Unison Investment Management, LLC, and Real Estate Equity Exchange, Inc., CGC-25-629062 (Cal. Super. Ct.) This class action complaint seeks relief for California borrowers against predatory mortgage lender Unison Agreement Corp. and its affiliates. The case asserts that the defendants dupe…
