Community Lending Data

For almost forty years, Woodstock Institute has served as a critical resource for identifying racial and economic disparities within our financial system.

This data is a tool for promoting transparency, accountability, and racial and economic justice in Illinois. By providing public access to key housing demographics and mortgage and small business lending metrics, we aim to empower individuals to engage in meaningful conversations about fair housing practices and advocate for positive change.

Lending data is available thanks to two federal laws, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). These laws were passed in the 1970s after a national grassroots advocacy campaign against redlining, the policy of deliberately segregating and denying financial services to Black and Latine households. Such predatory practices were and continue to be a major driver of the racial wealth gap.