New Yorkers for Responsible Lending
The Law Center is a proud member of New Yorkers for Responsible Lending (NYRL), a statewide coalition comprised of over 170 organizations from across New York State. NYRL advocates for economic justice, emphasizing racial and community equity through legislative and policy efforts, public education, media advocacy, and organizing campaigns.
Buffalo Niagara Community
Reinvestment Coalition
The BNCRC is a local coalition of community organizations dedicated to eliminating unfair banking practices and addressing the lasting effects of redlining. Historically, banks employed discriminatory policies, such as redlining, to decide who could receive loans, contributing significantly to the poverty and segregation in neighborhoods that persist today.
Unfortunately, few laws have encouraged banks to support communities that have been trapped in poverty for generations. The BNCRC collaborates with local banks to ensure compliance with these laws and advocates for the establishment of more branches and the development of better products and services for residents of traditionally underserved communities.
Most Notable Accomplishments:
Negotiating the construction of the first two banks and a financial wellness center on the East Side of Buffalo, an area identified as a banking desert due to limited access to financial institutions. Notably, the East Side is home to 85% of Buffalo's Black residents.
In 2019, local banks generated $217 million in reinvestment donations, which were used to support mortgages, small business loans, and the development of improved products and services for families in Western New York.
Erie County Zombie Foreclosure Task Force
County Clerk Kearns and the Western New York Law Center established the Erie County Zombie Foreclosure Task Force in response to the zombie foreclosure crisis in Erie County. This Task Force meets quarterly and includes representatives from municipalities, banks, real estate professionals, nonprofit organizations, and other community leaders. Its mission is to facilitate collaboration among key stakeholders, share effective strategies, identify obstacles, and develop innovative solutions for addressing zombie properties.
Distressed Properties Task Force
WNYLC hosts the Distressed Properties Task Force every month. The members include elected officials, government employees, non-profit organizations, and other community members. The mission of this group is to identify and catalog vacant properties, explore effective solutions to reduce the number of vacant properties in local communities and enhance the quality of life for residents in Western New York.