CHESAPEAKE BEACH, MD (May 16, 2018) excerpt via BLACK ENTERPRISE - Eighty-seven percent of small business owners support measures that would protect against predatory lenders and boost the availability of traditional loans, according to a new study by Small Business Majority.
Predatory lending costs Americans an incredible $25 billion each year. The lack of transparency and integrity among online lenders is a major concern: three out of four small business owners support the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which works to regulate lenders and financial service providers.
“Online lenders are largely unregulated and can take advantage of small businesses that are desperate for capital,” said Sharon Levy, owner of Taking Tea InStyle in Princeton, New Jersey. “Small business owners simply don’t have enough good lending options, which is why we need better policies in place to give small businesses a level playing field and a safer environment in which to conduct business.”
Research shows that small business owners prefer to secure financing from trustworthy, traditional sources over predatory online lenders. 77% of small business owners desire a policy to increase the amount of small business loans from credit unions, and 62% support policies that require banks to invest in low-income communities.
“Far too many entrepreneurs have difficulty obtaining the capital they need to start and expand their business,” Small Business Majority CEO John Arensmeyer said. “When they are able to get financing, they need that capital to be safely and responsibly administered. As these poll results show, small business owners are strongly supportive of policies and institutions that increase the availability of small business loans from traditional sources like small banks and credit unions, while also shielding them from predatory lending practices.”
