DS News - U.S. Bank

80 New Jersey Lisa G Lopez Broker of Record Home Alliance Realty 142 E. Bay Ave Manahawkin, NJ 08050 609-978-9009 (o) 609-384-5109 (c) lglopez@verizon.net www.HomeAllianceRealty.com www.LisaLopezProperties.com Connecticut Planet Realty, LLC Sales@CTREOTEAM.com 203-982-4985 cell www.CTREOTEAM.com Security • Preservation • Disposition Steve Rivkin "My CEO gave me the opportunity to get involved in something that I was passionate about," said Kim Morris, SVP, Tax Operations, Accumatch. "I looked at several different options before landing on the American Mortgage Di- versity Council. Being an out, lesbian executive, it seemed like a cause I could get behind and help make a difference in my industry. My expecta- tions have been exceeded twofold by the AMDC. When I suggested that we have a town hall to gather data about LGBT, the AMDC stepped up and not only set up a roundtable in Dallas but in three additional cities. Sitting at the first roundtable in Dallas, listening to the stories and understanding how the mortgage industry can make a difference, was simply amazing." Participating organizations for the event included Accumatch, Associated Bank, Bank of America, Chicago House, CSH, Equality Il- linois, Fannie Mae, Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, Flagstar Bank, Lambda Legal, LGBT Chamber of Commerce of Illinois, Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Church, Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council, National As- sociation of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Profes- sionals, National Tax Search, and Wintrust. "e partnership between the AMDC and the LGBT community is paramount to begin working towards solutions that will help build a better tomorrow," Matteson said. "e journey is long, there is much to be done, but this is a great place to start." Editor's note: e AMDC is owned by the same parent company as DS News, e Five Star Institute. NEW YORK Royal Bank of Scotland Settles for $500 Million New York Attorney General Eric T. Schnei- derman announced a $500 million settlement between the state and Royal Bank of Scot- land. e settlement relates to claims that the bank misled investors over the quality of risky mortgage-backed securities leading up to the 2008 financial crisis. New York and Schneiderman have led the charge in pursuing action against financial in- stitutions they allege have engaged in deceptive practices, securing some $3.7 billion in cash and consumer relief since the financial crisis. In a statement, Attorney General Schneider- man said, "While the financial crisis may be behind us, New Yorkers are still feeling the effects of the housing crash. Home values plummeted. Vacant homes consumed neighborhoods. And for ILLINOIS Toward Diversity and Inclusion e American Mortgage Diversity Council (AMDC), in partnership with Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of Chicago, hosted a town hall discussion with leaders from the Chicago LGBT community. e meeting was the second in a series of town halls to be convened by the AMDC with LGBT community leaders from major cities across the nation. "e American Mortgage Diversity Council is a membership-driven organization of compa- nies in the financial services industry working collaboratively to advance the conversations around diversity and inclusion by focusing on challenges faced by minority- and women- owned businesses, creating solutions through advocacy, education, and training," said John Rieger, Executive Director for the American Mortgage Diversity Council. "is latest town hall, the second in a series, provided information to be used in the creation of a white paper on the subject for the financial services industry." "e AMDC is leading the industry in extending an olive branch to the LGBT com- munities across the country," said Michelle Matteson, Senior Operations Manager at Bank of America. "I had the opportunity to attend the AMDC LGBT town hall in Dallas, Texas, and was amazed at the perspectives and stories that were brought to the table. I am proud to be a part of the AMDC LGBT events, as I am both representing Bank of America and the LGBT community. I applaud the AMDC for their ef- forts to get to know the LGBT community and their unwavering support as an ally." e schedule of topics for the Chicago AMDC town hall included Homeownership and Fair Housing in the LGBT Community, Workplace Inclusion, and Gender Identity Dis- crimination, and LGBT Youth Homelessness. many New Yorkers, affordable housing fell out of reach. Today's settlement is another important step in our comprehensive effort to help New Yorkers rebuild their lives and communities. I am proud of the extraordinary housing programs these settlements have funded across New York, from Brookhaven to Buffalo—and today's settle- ment will fund even more community revitaliza- tion initiatives for years to come." e six-figure settlement includes a $100 million cash payment to the state of New York and $400 million in consumer relief for homeowners and affected communities. e relief efforts will include funds to help promote affordable housing initiatives, as well as funds "dedicated to helping communities transform their code enforcement systems, invest in land banks, and purchase distressed properties to keep them out of the hands of predatory investors." An independent monitor will be appointed to ensure RBS' compliance with the terms of the settlement. "We have been very clear that putting our remaining legacy issues behind us is a key part of our strategy," said RBS CEO Ross McEwan in a media statement. "Settling these issues is a stark reminder of the heavy price we continue to pay for the global ambitions pursued by the bank in the run-up to the crisis." As reported by the Wall Street Journal, RBS has previously reached similar settlements with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and states including California and Connecticut. Another settlement may be looming between RBS and the U.S. Justice Department. Buffalo Tops List of 10 Best Cities to Restart Your Life What does a person moving to a different location factor in while looking for a new city to start afresh? According to a study by Lending-

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