Oklahoma Assets Network (OAN) and the Oklahoma Policy Institute will host a town hall forum on predatory lending on April 15th. The forum will feature remarks from Dr. Haydar Kurban, the author of new research on payday lending patterns in the state, ‘ The Demographics of Payday Lending in Oklahoma.‘
Kurban is an Associate Professor of Economics at Howard University whose previous research has been published in the National Tax Journal and Economic Development Quarterly. He will join a local panel of experts for a discussion about his research and about the disproportionate share of predatory lenders located among particular communities and demographics, including:
- Military families
- Older Oklahomans
- Lower income earners
- Single parent households
- Young adults
- Communities of color
“It’s part of their business model and not something that they have been particularly secretive about. They don’t want the poorest people — they are going after the working poor because they have a consistent paycheck and just enough income that lenders can trap them in a cycle of borrowing.” said Kate Richey, coordinator for the Oklahoma Assets Network.
Following Dr. Kurban’s remarks, questions and comments from the audience will be taken, and facilitate a public discussion featuring local experts and practitioners. This event is free and open to the public, but space is limited, so RSVP at http://tinyurl.com/paydaytownhall.
