Activists Say No to Payday Exploitation

Chanting "we want the Council to know, payday lending had got to go!" community activists gathered outside the John A. Wilson Building Thursday to demand an end to payday lender exploitation. "Payday loan lenders deliberately target low-income communities," says Rick Powell, Metro Council Political Coordinator. In the District, borrowers pay back on average $708 for a loan of just $325, according to the Center for Responsible Lending. Following the rally, members of the group testified at a DC City Council hearing for the "Payday Loan Consumer Protection Act," which would restrict predatory payday lending practices in the District.
-Reported by Slgi Choi, photo by Andy Richards