Interview with Jon Mulkin
In this interview, Hope Credit Union Chief Mortgage Officer Jon Mulkin reflects on four decades in mortgage lending, from leading home loan operations at Morgan Stanley to helping first-time homebuyers build wealth through Hope’s mission-driven approach. He shares insights on affordable housing, community development, racial equity, and the future of mortgage lending in underserved communities.
The Big Short’s Lessons in Bad Banking
The Big Short turns one of the most complex financial disasters in modern history into an engaging story about the people who saw the housing market collapse coming. Beyond the entertainment, the film offers an important warning about the dangers of unchecked greed, weak regulation, and banking practices that put profits ahead of people.
Disinvesting From War in the Middle East
Many people are asking how their financial decisions connect to global conflicts and military funding. While banking transparency remains limited, moving deposits from large multinational banks to local community institutions can be a meaningful way to align your finances with values of peace, accountability, and community development.
Saving the Planet With Your Savings Account
Most people think about reducing their carbon footprint through daily habits, but your bank account may have an even bigger impact. This review of Project Drawdown’s climate-responsible banking report explores how moving your savings from fossil-fuel-financing mega banks to mission-driven community banks and credit unions can help reduce emissions and support a more sustainable future.
A Reflection On Our Trip with Hope Credit Union
What does community banking look like in practice? On a trip through the Deep South with Hope Credit Union, we met civil rights leaders, visited community development projects, and saw firsthand how mission-driven lending can help create economic opportunity in communities affected by generations of discrimination and disinvestment.
How Mega Banks Create the Illusion of Effectiveness While Failing Communities
Mega banks often promote billion-dollar community development initiatives, but those numbers can be misleading when compared to the trillions of dollars they hold in assets. This article explains how to evaluate lending statistics using percentages rather than raw dollar amounts so you can better understand which banks are truly investing in low-income communities, affordable housing, and local economic development.
Updates & Announcements for Better Banking Options
Better Banking Options reflects on a year of researching community banks, credit unions, and ethical banking institutions across the country while outlining plans for the future. From developing a community banking search engine to expanding research into mission-driven financial institutions, the project continues working to make socially responsible banking more accessible and transparent.