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Wodshg Paoer 9219
CROSS-LENDER VARIATION IN HOME MORTGAGE LENDING
by Robert B. Avery, Patricia E. Beeson, and Mark S. Snideman

Robert B. Avery is an associate professor in the
Department of Consumer Economics and Housing at
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, and Patricia E.
Beeson is an associate professor of economics at the
University of Pittsburgh; both are research associates at
the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. Mark S.
Snidennan is vice president and associate research
director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
Working papers of the Federal Reserve Bank of
Cleveland are preliminary materials circulated to
stimulate discussion and critical comment, The views
stated herein are those of the authors and not necessarily
those of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland or of the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
December 1992

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ABSTRACT
The Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA) requires depository institutions to help
meet the credit needs of their communities, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods,
consistent with safe and sound lending practices. Despite the clear focus of CRA and other fair
credit and housing legislation on individual lender responsibilities, consumer finance studies
generally do not concede any differences in the mortgage lending activities of individual lenders;
they consider variance among either individuals or neighborhoods. Virtually all of the studies
draw inferences about the practices of some prototypical lender from data pooled across many
lenders. Our strategy is to examine differences among individual lenders in the rates at which
they receive applications fiom, and originate mortgage loans to, minority and low-income
applicants. More specifically, we use the new applicant-level data gathered under the Home
to examine differences in minority and low-income
Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1975 -A)
mortgage loan originations across the more than 8,600 U.S. lenders who received applications for
single-family home purchase loans in 1990. We then allocate the variance in lender-specific credit
originations into two components: differences among lenders in their application volumes from
various population groups, and differences among lenders in the actions taken on applications
they receive. Both the applications and their disposition are then examined firther for lender
differences.
Although our analysis reveals substantial differences in regard to lenders' housing market
activities, we do not attempt to draw conclusions regarding discrimination. We emphasize that
the HMDA data do not contain enough relevant information about the loan applicants to draw
any firm conclusions regarding the reasons for observed variance in denial rates. Instead, we take
up the broader issue of whether the substantial differences we observe in lenders' credit flows to
minority and low-income households stem findamentally from differences in the volume of these
applications received by lenders, or from differential actions taken on the applications. We
conclude that for the United States as a whole, the variance across lenders in minority or lowincome loan originations, relative to total originations, is overwhelmingly accounted for by the
variance in application rates to those lenders, as opposed to relative differences in the disposition
of the applications after they are received. We also find that only a small portion of these
differences result fiom application characteristics that may reflect the type of loan being applied
for (loan size, FHANA or conventional loan, etc.). In addition, they cannot be accounted for
solely by geographic differences in markets served by lenders: Lenders that receive a relatively
large proportion of minority applications tend to draw applicants from many neighborhoods
within their MSA, not just from a small number of predominantly minority census tracts; lenders
that receive a relatively small proportion of minority applications fail to attract as many of the
minority residents looking for homes in the neighborhoods they serve.

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L INTRODUCTION
During the 1970s, amid concern about the adequacy of housing credit flows to minority
and low-income neighborhoods, Congress passed a pair of laws designed to encourage more
lending by depository financial institutions (essentially banks and thrifts). Through the Home
Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1V5 (HMDA), these fmbecame obligated to collect and publicly
report by census tract the total number of mortgage loans they originate. The Community
Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA) requires depository institutions to help meet the credit needs of
their communities, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with safe and
sound lending practices. Amendments to HMDA in 1989 now require most depository
institutions (and certain other mortgage lenders) to collect and report information on all individual
loan applications taken, whether approved or not. Regulators are charged with collecting and
using these data to monitor lenders for compliance with CRA and other lending statutes.
This information garners an unusual amount of attention from the news media. It is not
uncommon to find newspaper articles, based on HMDA data, that describe the volume of
mortgages flowing into different neighborhoods in a metropolitan area, with inferences drawn
about the policies of the prototypical lender.' When the 1990 HMDA data were released,
enabling for the first time a calculation of application denial rates by race and income, news
accounts zeroed in on this aspect of the data. Even the Federal Reserve Board (Canner and Smith
[ 1991]), when providing the first glimpse of the 1990-vintageHMDA data, included a discussion

of the rates at which different racial and income groups were denied housing credit by all
reporting lenders taken as a group.
Our strategy is to examine differences among individual lenders in the rates at which they
receive applications from, and originate mortgage loans to, minority and low-income applicants.
More specifically, we use the new applicant-level HMDA data to examine differences in minority
and low-income mortgage loan originations across the more than 8,600 lenders throughout the
United States who received applications for single-family home purchase loans in 1990. We then

allocate the variance in lender-specific credit originations into two components: differencesin

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application volumes from various population groups, and differences in response to actions taken
on the applications. Both the applications and their disposition are then examined further for
lender differences.
Despite the clear focus of CRA and other fair credit and housing legislation on individual
lender responsibilities, consumer finance studies generally do not concede any differences in the
mortgage lending activities of individual lenders; they consider variance among either people2 or
neighborhoods.3 We believe the individual lender vantage point actually can provide important
insights into the mortgage credit process. First, with regard to compliance, the lender -- rather
than the applicant or neighborhood

-- is clearly the appropriate unit of analysis. We would like to

understand how and why individual lenders differ in their servicing of specific markets. Second,
just as previous research reveals that applicants and geographic areas are heterogeneous with
respect to the demographic and financial characteristics that affect mortgage lending decisions, we
regard lenders as heterogeneous in the markets they service and in the methods they use to
penetrate these markets. By looking at these differences across lenders, we may be able to learn
something about what works, and what doesn't work, with regard to servicing minority and lowincome communities. Finally, ignoring the heterogeneity of lenders may give an incomplete and
misleading picture of mortgage market segmentation. For example, one can imagine a market in
which some lenders, by working harder to amact minority or low-income loan applicants, actually
receive -- and deny -- a larger fraction of such customers than might some other lenders.
Although our analysis reveals substantial differences among lenders in regard to their
housing market activities, we do not attempt to draw conclusions regarding lender discrimination.
We emphasize in our discussion that the HMDA data do not contain enough relevant information
about loan applicants to draw any fmconclusions regarding the reasons for observed differences
in denial rates4
Instead, we take up the broader issue of lender differences in credit flows to minority and
low-income households: Does the substantial variance we observe in lenders' credit flows stem
fundamentally from differences in the volume of minority and low-income applications received by

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lenders, or from differential actions taken on the applications? We conclude that for the United
States as a whole, the variance across lenders in minority or low-income loan originations, relative
to total originations, is overwhelmingly accounted for by the variance in application rates to those
lenders, as opposed to relative differences in the disposition of the applications after they are
received. We also find that only a small portion of these differences are due to divergent
application characteristics that may reflect the type of loan being applied for (loan size, F W A
or conventional loan, etc.). In addition, they cannot be ascribed solely to geographic differences
in markets: Lenders that receive a relatively large proportion of minority applications do so from
all tracts they serve; lenders that receive a relatively small proportion of minority applications fail
to do so because, on average, they tend to draw disproportionately fewer minority applicants from
the tracts they serve.
How low-income and minority populations or neighborhoods fare in the marketplace for
consumer and housing finance is an important social concern, and the previous studies on credit
availability have advanced our understanding of how the markets function. Based on our
research, however, we conclude that those who are interested in understanding differences among
lenders in credit flows to minority and low-income applicants should focus somewhat more on
applications from, and somewhat less on denials to, those groups. We intend this paper to be the
first step of a research program organized around lenders and the application process.

11. DATA DESCRIPTION
e HMDA D m
All commercial banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, and other mortgage
lending institutions (primarily mortgage bankers) that have assets of more than $10 million, make
at least one 1-4 family home purchase loan, and have an ofice in a metropolitan statistical area
(MSA) are required to meet HMDA reporting requirements. Such institutions must file a loan
application register with the appropriate federal regulatory agency for each calendar year. The

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loan register must give the following information for each mortgage application acted upon by the
institution during the calendar year:

(1)

the loan amount;

(2)

the location of the property (state, county, and 1980 census tract number);

(3)

whether the property is owner-occupied;

(4)

loan purpose (home purchase, home improvement, or refinancing for 1-4 family or
mu1tifa.mily);

(5)

type of loan (conventional, Federal Housing Administration [FHA], guaranteed by the
Department of Veterans Affairs [VA] or Farmers Home Administration [FmHA]);

(6)

action taken by the lender (loan approved and originated. application approved but
withdrawn, application denied, application withdrawn before lender action, file closed due
to incompleteness, loan purchased from another institution);

(7)

the race and gender of the loan applicant (and co-applicant, if any);

(8)

the income relied upon by the lending institution in making the loan decision.

Information on income, race, and sex of the applicant does not have to be supplied by reporting
institutions with assets of less than $30 million.
The data used in this study are those reported for 1990, the first reporting year under the
new HMDA. In total, 9,333 financial institutions made HMDA filings in 19W of these, 8,761
provided information on 2,225,983 1-4 family home purchase loan applications in MSAs in which
they had an office.' About 10 percent of these applications (241,295) never reached the stage of
lender action because they were either withdrawn by the applicant or closed due to
incompleteness. This left a total of 1,984,688 loan applications, which constituted the sample for
most of the analysis presented in this study. These loans were originated by 8,745 separate
lenders operating in 40,008 census tracts in all 340 of the nation's MSAs defined as of 1990.
Not surprisingly, the initial HMDA fdings contained many errors and inconsistencies that
required extensive editing by the receiving federal agencies. Unfortunately, these procedures do

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not appear to have been uniformly applied, requiring additional cleaning and editing for this study.

In addition, smaller institutions were not required to report race, income, and gender for loan
applicants. It was decided to deal with missing data using a "hot deck" imputation procedure
similar to that used by the U.S. Census Bureau. Applications with missing data were statistically
matched to applications in the same census tract that came closest to them in reported
characteristics (race, loan action, income, and loan amount). Missing values were filled in using
the variable value of the matched observation. Applications with implausible reported values
were treated as missing and imputed in the same way. Overall, income was imputed for 4.9
percent, loan amount for 1.5 percent, gender for 4.0 percent, and race for 5.6 percent of the study
sample applications.
S a m ~ l Statistics
e
Applicant statistics for the study sample are given in table 1.6 Mortgage applicants are a
select sample of American households. Household mean income ($63,357) was substantially
higher than that reported for all households in the 1989 Survey of Consumer Finance ($35,700).'
The racial composition of the study sample also appears to differ from that of all U.S. households.
Blacks constituted 6.2 percent of the mortgage applicants, yet were 7.4 percent of the
homeowners and headed 11.2 percent of the households in 1990. Similarly. Asians. Native
Americans, and others were 5.9 percent of the mortgage applicants. but only 2.1 percent of the
homeowners and 3.0 percent of the households. Hispanics were more evenly represented: 6.6
percent of the applicants, 4.1 percent of the homeowners. and 6.4 percent of the households.'
Mean loan amount requested in 1990 was $97.502.
Sample characteristics are further broken down by type of lender and applicant in tables 2
and 3. Table 2 shows the distribution of applications, and table 3 shows the distribution of loan
dollar value. Lender here is defined at the MSA level. Thus, a lender reporting loans for two
different MSAs is treated as two different lender^.^ Lenders are grouped by size and type of
institution and by the size and minority population of their MSA. Applicants are grouped into five
categories: (1) total; (2) minority (Native American, Black, and Hispanic); (3) low-income

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(family income less than or equal to $25,000, roughly the bottom 15 percent of applicants); (4)
residents of minority census tracts (those with more than 30 percent of loan applications from
minority applicants, roughly 15 percent of applicants); and (5) residents of low-income census
tracts (those with more than 30 percent of loan applications from low-income applicants, again
roughly 15 percent of applicants).
There is little evidence that specific types of institutions, such as commercial banks or
thrifts, specialize in minority lending, defined either by the race of the applicant or by the racial
composition of the census tract. Minority applications followed approximately the same
distribution as total applications received, with commercial banks taking a slightly smaller share of

all minority applications and independent mortgage banks taking a slightly larger share. There is,
however, some indication of specialization by size of institution. Lenders receiving more than 500
home purchase loan applications took in 43 percent of all applications and accounted for 55
percent of all minority applications, and 57 percent of applications from minority tracts. This may
reflect the concentration of large lenders in large MSAs, where there is a high concentration of
minority applicants and minority tracts. Within MSAs, there is no evidence that the larger
institutions (those with market shares exceeding 5 percent) receive a disproportionate share of
minority applications.
The picture looks somewhat different for low-income applicants. Commercial banks and
their subsidiaries receive a disproportionate share of low-income applications, defined either by
the income of the applicant or by the census tract. Within MSAs, the largest lenders (those with 5
percent or more of the market) tend to receive more low-income applications. However, when
viewed purely by size, lenders receiving 500 or more applications tend to receive fewer lowincome applications. This apparent contradiction can be explained by the fact that these lenders
tend to be located in the largest MSAs, which have relatively low concentrations of low-income
mortgage applicants.
Finally, we note that the measure of minority or low-income lending has little impact on
the distribution of minority and low-income applications across lenders. Minority lending defined

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by number of minority applicants, number of minority-tract applicants, dollar value of applications
from minority applicants, or dollar value from minority tracts all reveal the same general pattern.
The same is true for the various measures of low-income lending.
Dis~ositionof Loans
We now turn to the disposition of these of loan applications (see tables 4 and 5, where
table 5 gives dollar value figures). In our data set, .85 of all loan applications were approved in
1990; this is the total approval rate. The approval rate for all minority applicants, the minority

approval rate, was .75. We define the relative approval rate (for minorities) as the ratio of these
two rates (that is, .75/.85 =.88). Clearly, whenever minority applicants are approved at a lesser
rate than the entire applicant pool, this rate will be less than one. But this rate by itself does not
inform us about the minority proportion of mortgage originations. To calculate this, we also need
to factor into the equation a term we call the minority application ratio (minority applications as
a percent of the total). We define the minority origination ratio as the product of the relative

approval rate and the minority application ratio. In our national data, for example, the minority
origination ratio (. 12) equals the relative approval rate (38) times the minority application ratio
(. 13).1° The same arithmetic can be applied to.10~-incomeapplicants, whose relative approval

rate is 35. Their origination ratio of .13 is the product of .85 and their application ratio of. 15.
When the relative approval ratio for a group is less than one, it reduces the proportion of
group members who become approved applicants relative to their proportion in the original pool
of all applicants. From this perspective, the relative approval rates shown in table 4, although
always less than one by type and size class of lender, do not translate into striking differences in
the distribution of approved applicants when compared with the distribution of the applications
themselves. On average, we observe that lenders of all types and sizes originate a share of their
loans to minority and low-income applicants roughly in proportion to, but quite the same as, the
share of applications they receive from those groups. Lurking behind these averages are different
combinations of these minority application ratios and relative approval rates, generated by
divergent actions on the part of both applicants and lenders.

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m. DIFFERENCES IN ORIGINATIONS ACROSS LENDERS
The previous section describes the average rates of minority and low-income loan
applications, and the average treatment of those applications by various types of lending
institutions. That discussion concerns the performance of the full mortgage market, not of any
individual lender operating in that market, and ignores the variation across these individual
lenders. For the market as a whole, about 12 percent of all loans went to minority applicants and
13 percent to low-income applicants; however, there is considerable variation in these percentages

across lenders. In this section, we compare two possible sources of variance across lenders in
minority and low-income originations: dispersion in application ratios and differences in actions
taken on these applications, as measured by relative approval rates.
We are motivated to examine these issues because we recognize that there are
undoubtedly many actions on the part of both applicants and lenders that could generate the
combinations of application rates, denial rates, and mortgage originations that we observe." For
example, take two lenders similar in all respects, except that lender A works hard at marketing
products to minority and low-income individuals and lender B does not. Assume further that
neither lender discriminates against applicants, and that both follow the same underwriting
standards. Our analysis of the HMDA data would show lender A with a higher minority
application rate than lender B. Their approval rates may differ, however, if the lenders' strategies
result in different mixes of qualified and unqualified applicants. Lf lender A's program brings in
proportionately more marginal applicants, it will end up with higher application rates and lower
approval rates for the targeted group. On the other hand, if lender A develops expertise in these
markets that improves its ability to identify qualified minority and low-income applicants, we may
tind that it has both a higher minority application rate and a higher approval rate than lender B.
The same pattern of greater minority and low-income approval rates for institutions with
higher application rates is consistent with a process of applicants sorting themselves in the credit

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markets. Again, take the case of two lenders. Suppose lender A charges a low interest rate for
mortgage loans, but has tough lending standards. Lender B has easier lending standards, but
charges a greater interest rate as compensation against the larger risk of default. Suppose lenders
approve applicants strictly on economic criteria. Further, suppose that in the population at large,
minority or low-income status is correlated with loan risk variables such as credit history, work
history, and wealth.'' If applicants can identify lender types readily, lender A would receive fewer
minority and low-income applications than lender B, but might actually have a greater approval
rate on these applications. On the other hand, if applicants cannot perfectly identify lenders
according to their loan-policy types, we would expect to find that lender A's minority or lowincome approval rates are lower than those of lender B.
We want to determine how much diversity exists among lenders in the rates at which they
receive applications from different population groups, and how much diversity exists in the
disposition of applications. Furthermore, we would like to know the extent to which credit
origination differences among lenders stem from the former factor versus the latter. Our inquiry
extends to the types and sizes of lenders as well. Do commercial banks differ from independent
mortgage banks in regard to the sources of variation in loan origination? Do the largest and most
urban lenders differ from the others?

Samole
In shifting our focus to lenders, the sample of applications and lenders changes fiom the
one used in the previous section. The sample used to analyze the variance across lenders in
minority lending, defined in terms of the number of minority loans, is described in the fxst row of
table 6. The full sample now includes only 11,598 of the 20,695 HMDA-reporting lenders, and
1.867.2 1 1 of the 1,984,688 applications. The sample difference results fiom the following
considerations. About 40 percent of the 20,695 lenders in our sample report no minority loan
applications whatsoever. Since the minority approval rate (minority approvals/minority
applications) is not defined for these lenders, they are excluded from our analysis. In addition, we

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also exclude the 3 percent of institutions that have no loan originations at all, because relative
approval rates (minority approval ratehotal approval rate) are not defined for these institutions.
Lenders that do not receive minority applications or have no loan originations tend to be small, so
eliminating all applications made to these institutions reduces the sample of applications by less
than 6 percent. Sample statistics for each of our several measures of minority and low-income
lending are presented in table 6. Aside from the average size of the lenders and the percent of
minority applications, the restricted samples are much the same as the full sample discussed in the
previous section.
Ignoring distinctions across lenders, the mean ratio of minority to total originations (the
minority origination ratio) in this adjusted sample is .12, the same as for the full national sample
reported in table 4. However, the mean of the individual lender's origination ratios is higher,
namely .16, because lenders account for different numbers of applications and differ in their own
application ratios and approval rates. For example, 959 (8 percent) of the lenders have no
minority originations, and 357 of them have minority originations only. Fifty percent of the
lenders have minority origination ratios of .08 or less, while 25 percent have minority origination
ratios that exceed .18. The standard deviation of the minority origination ratio is .21, a number
larger than the mean. Although the figures are not shown in table 6, the application ratio has a
mean and standard deviation of. 17 and .20, respectively, whereas comparable statistics for the
relative approval rates are .87 and -37.

Model
Because the minority origination ratios are equal to the product of the application ratios
and the relative approval rates, the variance of minority origination ratios across lenders, which
we wish to decompose, is a nonlinear function of the variance of application ratios, the variance of
relative approval rates, and the covariance between the two. While the nonlinearity could be
removed (through an appropriate transformation of the data), the covariance between the two

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components cannot. As a result, we can assign only ranges, rather than point estimates, to the
contribution of each component. The size of the range reflects the influence of the covariance.
Our estimates of these ranges are based on the following linear regression model:

(1) ORIGR, = B, + B2*APPLYRl + B3*RAPPRl + u,,
where ORIGR, is the minority origination ratio for lender 1(minority approvalsltotal approvals),
B, is a separate intercept representing a fixed effect for the metropolitan area in which lender 1
operates, APPLYR, is the application ratio for lender 1 (minority applicationsltotal applications),
and RAPPR, is the relative approval rate for lender 1 (minority approval rateltotal approval rate).
The MSA fixed effects control for differences in the mortgage lending market that are
common to all lenders in that market but may vary across markets, such as the size of the minority
population or lending practices. The variance associated with MSA is removed from the total
before we measure the contributions of APPLYR and RAPPR. Thus, the variance captured by
APPLYR and RAPPR together is the incremental reduction in the error sum of squares (SS)
when both are added to the model that already includes the MSA fixed effects.
The maximum captured by each variable is the reduction in SS (as a share) that occurs
when the variable is added to a model that includes only the MSA fixed effects; the minimum is
the reduction when the variable is added to the model that already includes the other variable
(along with the MSA fixed effects). The minimum is the marginal contribution of each variable,
thus attributing the entire covariance to the other variable. The maximum assigns the full
covariance to the variable in question.

Results
The result of this allocation of the variance across lenders in minority lending (defined in

terms of the number of minority approvals relative to total approvals) is presented in the first line
of table 7. We find that the overwhelming majority of the variance in minority originations across
lenders is attributable to differences in minority application ratios. Differential approval rates by
race account for a relatively small portion of the variance across lenders. For the full sample of

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11,598 lenders, 87-91 percent of the variance in minority originations, after controlling for MSA
differences, is captured by lender-specific differences in minority application rates; 9-13 percent
stems from different approval rates for these applications. This narrow range suggests the
contribution of the covariance is quite small, which greatly enhances our ability to identify the
importance of the application ratios.
This dominance of differences in lenders' application ratios as the explanation for lender
variance in minority originations holds across all types of lenders and all sizes, measured in terms
of both the volume of applications received by the lender and the lender's market share (see table

8). The contribution of the relative approval rate component is strongest for mortgage banks
operating as either subsidiaries of depository institutions or independent firms. Even in this case,
application rate differences among lenders account for at least three-quarters, and may account
for as much as 90 percent, of the variance in minority originations. Furthermore, most of this
variance across groups of lenders is due to differences in the size of lenders.13
The smallest conmbution of minority application ratios to the variance in minority
originations occurs among small lenders, regardless of the type of lender. For the largest lenders
(those with 500 or more applications), differences in application rates account for 93-99 percent;
for lenders with less than 100 applications, they account for 85-89 percent. This is also true when
size is measured by market share. Differences in lender minority application rates account for 96-

97 percent of the variance across those with 5 percent or more of the market, and for 84-89
percent across lenders with less than 1 percent of the market. When institutions are grouped by
size and type, we find that the relative conmbution of application ratios to the overall variance for
any type of lender differs primarily because of lender size.
As a further check on the robustness of our result, we consider several different measures
of minority lending: (1) the dollar value of minority loan applications relative to the total dollar
value of loan applications; (2) the number relative to nonminority loans, (3) the number and dollar
value of loan applications from minority tracts relative to those from all tracts; and (4) the number

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of central-city minority loan applications relative to all central-city loan applications. Similarly
defined measures of low-income lending are also analyzed. For each measure, our sample
includes all lenders for which the origination ratio, application ratio, and relative approval rates
are defined. The samples used in the analysis of each measure, and the pertinent sample statistics,
are denoted in table 6. The allocation of variance for these alternative measures of minority
lending are presented in rows 2-6 of table 7.14
The results are virtually identical when dollar values rather than numbers of applications
are used or when minority census tracts rather than minority applicants are examined. We
recognize that it has been more common to compare minority relative to nonminority lending,
rather than minority relative to total lending, as we have done in this paper. The results presented
in table 7 indicate that with the more conventional approach, an even larger portion of the
variance is attributable to differences in application rates. We prefer the rninority-relative-to-total
framework because it tends to put less weight on the lenders with extreme values.
In the above analysis, we have assumed that the relevant market for lenders is the MSA.
This may not be true for all lenders. Some may operate on a small scale, in the rural fringe, or in
the remote suburbs of an MSA, where the minority population is very small. Including these
lenders in our sample may introduce additional variance in applications and approvals, which
reflect differences in the market rather than in individual lenders' response to the market. Our
findings with regard to large lenders lend some support to our interpretation. It may be
reasonable to assume that the MSA is. or should be. the relevant market for any lender that
receives more than 500 applications in an MSA or has a market share greater than 5 percent.
These are the lenders for which differencesin application rates explain the largest portion of the
variance in minority approvals. Our conclusions are further supported by an analysis limited to
central-city lending (row 6 of table 7). Here we conduct the same decomposition as above, but
restrict our attention to loan applications for properties in centralcity tracts. As was the case
with the MSA-level analysis, the majority of the variance in minority origination ratios across

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lenders is attributable to differences in minority application rates, rather than to actions taken on
these applications.

Our results concerning low-income lending are much the same as those for minority
lending (rows 7-12 of table 7, with sample statistics in rows 7- 12 of table 6). Differences across
lenders in low-income applications as a share of total applications account for the lion's share of
differences across lenders in low-income originations as a share of total originations. Again, this
is true regardless of the type, size, or market share of the institution. The primary difference is
that the ranges for low-income lending are larger than those for minority lending, indicating that
the covariance between application ratios and relative approval rates contributes more to the
variance across lenders in low-income than in minority origination ratios.
From the above analysis, we conclude that differences in the relative approval rates of
minority and low-income loans account for only a small portion of the variance across institutions
in the share of originations going to minority and low-income applicants. However. applications

to lenders and lenders' actions on these applications are almost certainly interrelated. The
applicant's decision of where to apply is probably influenced by the action he or she expects from
the lender. In our sample, we find a positive correlation across lenders between minority
application ratios and relative approval rates. This is consistent with minorities choosing to apply
at institutions they perceive will treat them more favorably. A full examination of this issue,
however, requires an understanding of the application decision that is beyond the scope of our
current paper.

IV. FURTHER EVALUATION OF LENDER DIFFERENCES IN ORIGINATIONS
In section 111, we found that the majority of the variance among lenders in minority loan
originations is attributable to differences in minority application ratios, although relative
differences in the disposition of minority applications also contribute somewhat to the observed
variance. The question remains as to what accounts for these lender differences in application

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ratios and relative approval rates. One possible explanation is that lenders specialize in specific
markets identified by either loan products or geographic areas. These markets could be
distinguished from one another by such application characteristics as loan size, applicant income,
loan type (such as F H W A or conventional), and property location. To the extent that these
characteristics are correlated with race, this specialization will contribute to the observed variance
across lenders in the percent of minority applications received. Similarly, to the extent that these
characteristics are correlated with creditworthiness, they may also contribute to the observed
differences in relative approval rates. In this section, we examine the application characteristics
and property location factors to determine their roles in creating the differences we observe
among lenders in their minority application ratios and relative approval rates.

..

Decomwos~honof Minority Application Rat=
For each lender, we partition the minority application ratio into three components: the
portion attributable to differences in the application characteristics (for example, loan size, loan
type), the portion attributable to the geographic market served by that lender (both MSA and
census tract), and the portion attributable to pure lender effects. For each lender, the first two
components are measured by the racial mix of applications predicted on the basis of the market
served, where the lender's market is defined by the nonracial characteristics of the applications
that the lender actually receives, and by the MSA and census tracts from which it draws
applications. As an example of the first component, suppose the only relevant application
characteristic is loan type (FHANA or conventional) and that in one lender's market, minorities
comprise half of all FHANA applicants and one-tenth of all conventional loan applicants. If the
data show that a lender's applications are split 30 percent FHANA and 70 percent conventional,
we would predict, based solely on loan type. that 22 percent of this lender's applications would be
from minority applicants (.3*.5 + .7*. 1 = .22). The second component is derived from a similar
comparison of the lender's geographic mix of applications and its market's composition of
rninority applicants. The third component, the pure lender effect, is measured by each lender's

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deviation from what we would predict based on the first two components alone; that is, its
propensity to draw a higher or lower percentage of minority applicants than is typical for lenders
active in its market.
The procedure we use to construct the three components is by necessity based on
characteristics reported under HMDA. The full 1,984,688 loan sample is used to estimate a fixedeffects linear probability model. The dependent variable is coded one if the applicant was a
minority (Native American, Black, or Hispanic) and zero otherwise. Independent variables
include gender, marital status, occupancy, income, loan amount, income-to-loan-ratio, loan type,
and interactions among these variables. In addition, 607,63 1 separate intercepts for each
combination of lender and census &ct are included as fixed effects.'' The resulting coefficient
estimates are reported in appendix table 12.
Although the regression shown in appendix table 12 separates applicant-specific factors
from those representing location and institutions, the effects of lender, MSA, and tract are still
intertwined in the fixed-effects dummies. These were separated using an iterative procedure
equivalent to regressing values of the 607,63 1 fixed-effects intercepts against the 340 MSA,
40,008 tract, and 20,695 institution dummies.
The computation of separate applicant, tract, and lender effects for each application allows
the average difference in the race of applicants to be assigned to various sources. The predictive
model estimated for the race of the applicant has the form
(2)

Race,

= AC, + M S L + T,+ LO, + e , ,

where Race is one if the ith applicant using the lth lender in the mth MSA and cth census tract is a
minority and zero otherwise, AC are the applicant's economic characteristics, MSA is the MSA
effect, T is the tract effect, LO is the overall lender effect, and e is a residual. Table 9 shows the
decomposition of the average difference in the race of applicants using such a model.16

Loan application characteristics and the overall lender effect are unhelpful in predicting an
applicant's race; the tract and MSA effects are more useful, contributing 22.7 percent and 8.7

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percent, respectively, to the prediction." However, a large portion (63.9 percent) of the race of
the applicants cannot be predicted with these variables. This can be interpreted as a withinlender-tract-MSA residual.
So far, we have fully exploited the HMDA data at the application level to assess the
connection between both application characteristics and property locations, and race. Now we
can recompile these individual applications back into the lenders' portfolios, enabling us to address
the question of how much of the cross-lender variance in the racial mix of applicant pools can be
attributed to differences in the application characteristics and census tracts served by each lender.
We can also assess how much of the variance stems from pure lender differences. This
decomposition of variance is similar to that conducted in the previous section. The percent of
minority applications for each lender is regressed against the percent minority predicted by our
model using the lender's application characteristics, census tracts served, and a lender residual.
We approximate the effect of each component by regressing it separately against the dependent
variable and by computing the reduction in the explanatory power of the full equation when each
component is dropped.
Table 10 shows the sources of variation across lenders in the racial composition of their
applications." Differences in application characteristics account for 0.8 to 2.6 percent of the
within-MSA variance across lenders. Much more surprisingly, differences in the census tracts
from which lenders receive applications account for only 21.9 to 28.9 percent of the variation,
with 70.8 to 74.8 percent of the variation across lenders unexplained. This means that most of the
variation across lenders in the number of minority applications received does not stem from the
fact that they serve different neighborhoods, butfrom how they draw applicants within
neighborhoods. This result, which is robust to a number of variations, such as ignoring MSA
effects or weighting the regression by number of applications received by the lender, runs counter
to the conventional wisdom that neighborhood service areas are the major cause of cross-lender
variation in the proportion of minority applications received.19

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Decom~ositionof Relative Ap~rovalRates
We now turn to an analysis of institutional differences in the relative approval rates of
minority and nonrninority loan applicants. This approach is similar to that used to decompose
variation in lender minority application rates. We first estimate a model to predict the likelihood
that an individual loan application would be denied based on objective characteristics independent
of which lender receives the application. We then calculate the extent to which individual lenders
deviate ~ystematicallyfrom this predicted denial rate.
The sample and methodology used are almost identical to that used to decompose
variation in lender application rates. The full 1,984,688 loan sample is used to estimate a fixedeffects linear probability model. The dependent variable is coded zero if the application was
approved and one otherwise. Independent variables represent all those used in the minority
equation plus dummy variables for six applicant and two co-applicant racial categories. The racial
dummies are also interacted with FHA and VA loan dummies. We include separate intercepts for
each combination of lender and census tract. Again, there are 607,63 1 unique combinations of
the 40,008 tracts and 20,695 lenders in the sample, and an iterative procedure is used to solve for
individual lender, MSA, and tract effects in a second stage of the analysis.
The resulting regression is reported in appendix table 13. A positive coefficient can be
interpreted as the expected rise in the probability that an applicant's loan would be denied
resulting from a one-unit increase in the independent variable, holding all other variables constant

-- specifically, the applicant's MSA, census tract, and lender. Thus, the coefficients on race, for
example, represent the expected difference in the probability that a white and black applicant with
the same income, gender, FHANA status, loan amount, MSA, census tract, and lender will have
their loan application denied. Thus interpreted, the estimated blackfwhite (. 103) and
Hispaniclwhite (.048) differences for conventional loans are quite significant Differences are
similar for FHA loans (. 116 and .030).

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The computation of separate applicant, MSA, tract, and lender effects for each application
allows the average difference in the denial rate of minority and nonrninority applicants to be
assigned to various sources. The predictive model estimated for application denial has the f o m
Denial-, = ACi + MS&

(3)

+ T, + LO, + e-,,

where Denial is one if the ith applicant using the lth lender in the mth MSA and cth census tract is
denied, and zero otherwise, AC are the applicant's economic characteristics (as measured with all
applicants assumed to be white), T is the tract effect, LO is the overall lender effect, and e is a
residual. Table 1 1 shows the decomposition of the average difference in the denial rates of
minority and nonminority applicants using such a model.
i

On average, 25.2 percent of minority loan applications were denied versus 13.1 percent of
nonminority applications. Less than one-seventh of the gross difference in denial rates (12.1
percent) can be attributed to differences in applicants' economic characteristics (as measured by
predicted values from the denial regression). MSA, census tract, and overall lender effects, as
measured by average differences in the MSA, tract, and institution dummies associated with each
type of applicant, account for just over one-quarter of the difference (3.5112.1). The portion
attributable to racial sorting (that is, minorities applying to lenders with higher minority approval
rates and nonrninorities applying to lenders with lower minority approval rates) is very small (only
.2 percent). The major portion of the difference remains unexplained and cannot be attributed to
any of these sources. This unexplained race differential may be due to differences in credit
histories, employment histories, loan-to-value ratios, or other factors considered in the loan
evaluation process that are not included in the HMDA file, or to differential treatment based
solely on the race of the applicant.
The predictive equation is used to examine the source of variation in the disposition of
applications across lenders. Table 12 shows this decomposition. The ratio of the approval rate of
minorities to that of all applicants for each lender is regressed against two variables computed
separately for the minority and total applicants of each lender: (1) the portion attributable to

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application characteristics as measured by the predicted value from the denial regression
(assigning all applicants to the same race); and (2) the portion attributable to property location.
Again, because we are looking at a decomposition of variance, the amount charged to each source
can only be approximated. These regressions are performed on within-MSA data; between-MSA
variations are thus removed.
Between 2.4 and 4.6 percent of the variation in relative approval rates across lenders
within MSAs can be attributed to variation in the application characteristics. Location accounts
for between 4.0 and 5.9 percent of the variation. The overwhelming majority of variation (91.0 to
92.7 percent) cannot be explained by these factors.
Similar conclusions are reached when we examine sources of variation in the minority
approval rate (table 13). Applicant economic and census tract effects are small. The overall
credit standard of the institution explains about one-third of the within-MSA variation (that is,
minorities tend to apply to institutions with relatively large denial rates for all applicants, ceteris
paribus). However, more than half of the variation in minority approval rates cannot be explained
by any of these factors. These remaining differences may reflect lender bias or differences in the
unobserved characteristics of the loan application. Without additional information, it is impossible
to son out these two possibilities. It appears that this component of largely unexplained variation
is consistent with evidence of significant idiosyncratic lender behavior. As shown in table 14,
almost 90 percent of the within-MSA variation in total lender approval rates cannot be explained
by either applicant characteristics (as we measure them) or by neighborhood.

V. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
This paper uses recently released HMDA data to examine differences in minority and lowincome lending patterns across lending institutions. The new data allow us to identify both the
application and the action taken on that application by the lender, thus enabling us to sort out
lender behavior from applicant behavior to a greater extent than allowed by previous data. This

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permits us to determine the extent to which the differences across lenders in minority and lowincome originations, found in earlier studies, reflect differences in minority (low-income)

application rates across lenders as opposed to differences across institutions in their minority
(low-income) approval rates relative to their overall approval rates.
We find that the overwhelming majority of the variance across lenders in both minority
and low-income originations is attributable to differences in application ratios. Differences in
relative approval rates account for a relatively small portion of the variance across lenders. For
the full sample, 87-91 percent of the variance in minority originations is captured by lenderspecific differences in minority application rates, while only 10-13percent stems from differential
treatment of these applications. The dominance of variations in lenders' application rates as the
explanation for lender differences in minority and low-income originations holds for all types of
institutions, for different lender sizes, for different lender market shares, and for various
definitions of the relevant market (full MSA and central city only).
The public's interest in examining the relative rates at which lenders in an MSA approve
credit applications for one group versus another emanates from a suspicion that some lenders
might discriminate. Denying credit to applicants because of their race is illegal, as is refusing to
lend strictly on the basis of property location. Regulatory agencies charged with enforcing equal
credit laws and CRA can benefit from analyzing lender-specific HMDA data, including relative
approval rates. in an effort to spot illegal practices. Our research indicates that lenders vary
enormously in terms of their relationships with minority and low-income applicants. These
differences may result from illegal practices, or simply from economic factors on both sides of the
market. Regulators and the public need to attain a better understanding of the variation in lenders'
practices before reaching conclusions about how well or poorly the markets function for all
applicants.

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ENDNOTES
1. For a taste of the media's approach to the issue, see "The Color of Money," Atlanta
Constitution, May 1-6, 1988, and "The Race for Money," Detroit Free Press, June 24-27, 1988.
2. Canner, Gabriel, and Wooley (1990), Gabriel and Rosenthal (1991), and Duca and Rosenthal
(1992) study racial aspects of credit rationing and market performance by using data from the
Survey of Consumer Finances, which comprises information collected from a sample of
households. These studies attempt to infer from the households' experiences and demographic
characteristics whether lenders as a group treat people differently as a result of their racial status.

3. Canner (l981), Avery and Buynak (l981), Avery and Canner (1983), and Bradbury, Case, and
Dunham (1989) contrast the differences in mortgage credit originations between predominantly
white and predominantly minority neighborhoods in various metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs).
These studies use either pre-1990 HMDA data or lien title data to infer from the neighborhoods'
characteristics whether mortgage lenders as a group treat neighborhoods differently depending on
their racial composition. Shafer and Ladd (1981) collect information on some lender-specific,
individual mortgage loan applications in New York and California, but they aggregate the data
over lenders within MSAs to examine the credit denial actions of lenders as a group within these
markets. Calem (1992) contrasts the experiences of individual lenders participating in a
Philadelphia area mortgage-lending plan with those that did not participate. His paper does
document the existence of lender differences in the penetration of minority communities, but the
primary focus is on the characteristics of the voluntary mortgage plan operated by a group of
lenders. Avery (1989) notes the differences between studies based on lending in a neighborhood
and the lending procedures adopted by individual lenders.
4. These data may be useful when used in conjunction with other data, such as those collected
from regulatory audits. In addition, regulators can employ the information as a tool in signaling
potential problem lenders. For a thorough discussion of both the issues and data, see Mumell et
al. (1992).
5. We decided to resmct the analysis to 1-4 family home purchase loans within MSAs, which
were directly acted upon by the reporting institution. Overall, the institutions reported
information on 6,595,089 loan applications in 1990. Of these, 3,933,919 (59.6 percent) were
originated by the reporting institution within an MSA in which they had an ofice (of the excluded
loans, 1,137,741 were purchased from other institutions and 1,523,429 were outside an MSA). A
significant portion of the loans remaining, 1,707,936, were for home improvements, refinancing,
or multifamily residences. This left a total of 2,225,983 loan applications that met the study
criteria.

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6. We examine only 1-4 family home purchase loans in this study. In addition to these loans, a
total of 787,952 home improvement loans, 716,595 refinancings of 1-4 family home loans, and
32,176 multifamily home loans met the same criteria used for the study sample (originated by the
reporting institution within an MSA where it has an office and where the lender made a decision
on the application).
7. Household income of sample applicants may be higher, because this figure represents only the
applicant's income used for mortgage qualification.
8. The percent Hispanic in the HMDA sample is slightly higher than that in the overall U.S.
population, due in part to the inclusion of Puerto Rico, and the percent black is slightly lower.
U.S. figures are taken from the whole 1990 Census, which may differ somewhat from the
coverage of the study sample in that rural areas are included.
9. The 8,745 financial institutions filing 1990 HMDA reports that had at least one loan in the
study sample operated in an average of 2.4 MSAs. This translated into 20,695 study lenders
when lenders were defied at the MSA level.
10. Note that we define the origination ratio in terms of loans approved, even though a small
number of loans that are approved are not originated due to withdrawals by the applicants.
11. See ICF, Inc. (1991) for a discussion of how some mortgage lenders regard the lending
process as different for members of disadvantaged groups.
12. Avery. Elliehausen. Gustafson. and Canner (1984) and Canner and Luckett (1991) report on
these differences.
13. Unreported estimates by type and size of lender indicate that the variance is largest for the
smallest lenders, those with fewer than 100 applications. For other Ienders, the variance
decomposition matches the reported figures.
14. Analyses of variance for each measure by type of lender. size of lender, size of MSA, and size
of MSA minority populations are presented in appendix tables 1-11.
15. The model was actually estimated using deviations about the means, which is computationally
equivalent to adding intercepts. There were 607.631 unique combinations of the 40,008 tracts

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and 20,695 lenders in the sample spread across 340 MSAs; thus, the average tract had about 15
lenders, each of whom served about 30 tracts per MSA.
16. The figures in table 9 (and subsequent tables 10-14) are based only on data fiom the 11,598
lenders who had at least one minority applicant and at least one loan approval. The decision to
use a subsample was made in order to make results in this section more comparable with those of
the previous section.
17. It is commonly recognized that a more complete accounting of loan application characteristics
would contribute substantially to the explanatory power of this procedure. See Munnell et al.
(1992), especially table 6 therein, for evidence of this.
18. The analysis-of-variance figures in tables 10, 12 and 13 are computed fiom the remaining
variance across lenders after MSA effects are removed.
19. The potential contribution of census tracts is larger when the regression is weighted by the
number of applications each lender received. Since this decomposition focuses on within-MSA
variation and gives most weight to the largest lenders within the MSA, it is difficult to separate
the lender effect fiom the census tract effect. As a result of the covariance between the two, the
range of the contribution of each is quite large (27-69 percent for census tracts and 30-63 percent
for lender effects). We note that even in this decomposition (the most favorable case for census
tract effects), at least 30 percent of the variance across lenders cannot be accounted for by loan
application characteristics or by the racial composition of the neighborhood fiom which the lender
draws applications.

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REFERENCES
Avery, Robert B. 1989. "Making Judgments about Mortgage Lending Patterns." Economic
Commentary, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland (December 15).
Avery, Robert B., and Thomas M. Buynak. 1981. "Mortgage Redlining: Some New Evidence."
Economic Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland (summer).
Avery, Robert B., and Glenn B. Canner. 1983. "Mortgage Redlining: A Multicity Cross-Section
Analysis." Unpublished Working Paper, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,
Washington, D.C.
Avery, Robert B., Gregory E. Elliehausen, Glenn B. Canner, and Thomas A. Gustafson. 1984.
"Survey of Consumer Finances, 1983." Federal Reserve Bulletin, vol. 70 (September), pp. 679692.
Bradbury, Katharine, Karl E. Case, and Constance R. Dunham. 1989. "Geographic Patterns of
Mortgage Lending in Boston, 1982- 1987." New England Economic Review, Federal Reserve
Bank of Boston (SeptemberIOctober), pp. 3-30.
Calem, Paul S. 1992. "The Delaware Valley Mortgage Plan: An Analysis Using HMDA Data."
Working Paper 92-3, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia (February).
Canner, Glenn B. 1981. "Redlining and Mortgage Lending Patterns." In Research in Urban
Economics, edited by J. Vernon Henderson. Greenwich, CT:JAI Press, pp. 67-101.
Canner, Glenn B., Stuart A. Gabriel, and J. Michael Wooley. 1991. "Race, Default Risk, and
Mortgage Lending: A Study of the FHA and Conventional Loan Markets." Southern Economic
Journal, vol. 58 (no. 1). pp. 249-262.
Canner, Glenn, and Charles A. Luckett. 1991. "Payment of Household Debts." Fe&ral Reserve
Bulletin, vol. 77. (April), pp. 2 18-229.
Canner, Glenn, and Delores S. Smith. 1991. "Home Mortgage Disclosure Act: Expanded Data
on Residential Lending." Federal Resenqe Bulletin, vol. 77 (November), pp. 859-88 1.
Duca, John V., and Stuart S. Rosenthal. 1992. "Borrowing Constraints, Household Debt, and
Racial Discrimination in Loan Markets." Unpublished manuscript
Gabriel, Stuart A., and Stuart S. Rosenthal. 1991. "Credit Rationing, Race, and the Mortgage
Market." Journal of Urban Economics, vol. 29 (no. 3, May), pp. 371-379.

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm

ICF, Incorporated. 1991. "The Secondary Market and Community Lending through Lenders'
Eyes." Paper prepared for the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (February 28).
Munnell, Alicia H., Lynne E. Browne, James McEnearney, and Geoffrey M.B. Tootell. 1992.
"Mortgage Lending in Boston: Interpreting HMDA Data." Working Paper Series 92-7, Federal
Reserve Bank of Boston (October).
Shafer, Robert, and Helen F. Ladd. 1981. Discrimination in Mortgage Lending. Cambridge, M A :
MIT Press.

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Table 1:

Characteristics of Mortgage Applications for the Purchase of 1-4 Family Homes, 1990 m

Number

Percent
of Sample

Percent
of Loan S

A

Percent
Percent
of Accepts of Denials

Race of A ~ ~ l i c a n t
Black
Hispanic
Native American
AsianIPacific Islander
White
Other
Race of Co-applicant
No Co-applicant
Same Race as Applicant
Different Race than Applicant

563.559
1,377,108
44,021

Gender
Male Applicant, Fomalm Co-applicant
Fomalm Applicant, Male Co-applicant
Male Applicant and Co-applicant
Female Applicant and Co-applicant
Male Applicant. No Co-applicant
Female Applicant, No Co-applicant

1,270,696
85.272
40,403
24,758
336,005
227,554

Owner-Occupied

1,857,330

Loan k e
Conventional
FHA
VA
FnS1A

Lender Action
Loan Originated
Loan Kept by Originator
Loan Sold to FNMA
Loan Sold to GNMA
Loan Sold To F H u c
Loan Sold Elsewhere
Loan Accepted and Withdrawn
Loan Denied
Reasons for Denial (of Loans
No Reason Given
Debt-to-income Ratio
Employment History
Credit History
Collateral
Insufficient Cash
Unverifiable Information
Application Incoaiplete
Mortgage Insurance Denied
Other

1 Up to three reasons for danial could be given, and answers were voluntary. Each category row
displays the percent of all denied applications listing that particular reason as one of the Lhrme.

Source:

Authors.

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm

Table 2: Dirtrlbution of 1-4 Funlly Hortgsga Applications by Type and Siza of Lender. 1990 BIlDA

Number of
~enderslApplications

All

Percent of Applications
Minority
Low-Income
Minority
~ ~ ~ l i c a n t s ~ p ~ l i c a n t s ~ Tracts4

Low-Income
~racts5

TYPO of Inrtitution
Comnercial Bank8
Thrift Inrtitutionr
Credit Unions
Bank Subridiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other h r t 8 a g e Banks

7.043
3.975
1;627
3,532
1,478
3.040

447.526
667.513
20;839
389,250
154,820
304,740

22.6%
33.6
1.1
19.6
7.8
15.4

18.9%
35.0
.7
18.7
8.3
18.3

30.9%
24.7
1.1
23.4
8.3
12.3

18.6%
35.2
.7
18.1
8.2
18.2

32.7%
22.6
1.2
22.4
8.5
12.6

Size of Institution
> 500 Application8
100-500 Applications
< 100 Application8

774
3.628
16,293

853.319
795.477
335,892

43.0
40.1
16.9

55.2
32.7
12.1

34.7
45.4
19.9

57.0
31.1
11.9

29.8
48.6
21.6

Market Share of Inrtitution
1,816
More than 5 Percent
1-5 Percent
4,441
Laar than 1 Percent
14,338

813,279
811,086
360,323

41.0
40.9
18.2

43.6
40.5
15.8

46.2
38.8
15.0

42.5
40.6
17.0

49.2
37.9
12.9

Size of FSA
> 25.000 Applications 3,545
< 25,000 Applications 17.150

660,927
1,323,761

33.3
66.7

45.3
54.7

19.1
80.9

49.7
50.3

12.3
87.7

14.2
85.8

33.9
66.1

11.2
88.8

45.3
54.7

11.4
88.6

Percent Minorit7 Auvlicationa in
More than 22 Percent
2.055
Lers than 22 Percent 18.840

Lenderr operatin8 in multiple
Native Americans , Blocks, and
Applicant income 1.88
than or
Cenrus tractr with 30 parcant
Cen8ur tractr with 30 percent
Source:

Authorr.

M
281,863
1,702,825

W s are treated as separate institutions.
Birpanics.
equal to 925,000.
or more of loan applications from minority applicants.
or more of loan applications from low-income applicants.

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Table 3: .Distribution of Dollar Value of 1-4 'Family Mort6a6e Applications by Type and Size of
L m d e r . 1990 IPDA

Number of
Total Loan
~ e n d e r s l hunt(S1000s)

k

e of Institution
Coamercial Banks
Thrift Inatitutions
Credit Unions
Bank Subsidiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other Mort6a6e Banks

7,043
3.975
1.627
3.532
1,478
3,040

$39.281
73.349
1,582
34,706
14,792
29,800

Size of Institution
> 500 Applications
100-500 Applications
< 100 Applications

774
3,628
16,293

All

Percent of Applications
Minority
Lw-Income
Minority
~ p p l i c a n t s ~ ~ ~ ~ l i c a n t sTracts4
~

Low-Income
~ract.8~

20.3%
37.9
.8
17.9
7.6
15.4

16.3%
42.3
.5
15.5
7.6
17.7

25.6%
27.2
.9
23.2
8.1
15.0

17.0%
42.6
.5
14.6
7.5
17.8

93,769
70,195
29.551

48.5
36.3
15.3

61.7
28.0
10.3

39.9
43.2
16.9

64.4
25.9
9.6

31.2
48.8
20.0

Market Share of Institution
More than 5 Percent
1.916
4,441
1-5 Percent
Less than 1 Percent
14.338

73,312
80,926
39,272

37.9
41.8
20.3

43.0
40.4
16.6

46.2
39.1
14.7

42.5
40.3
17.3

49.4
38.1
12.5

Size of EISA
> 25,000 Applications 3,545
< 25,000 Applications 17,150

82.784
110,727

42.8
57.2

56.3
43.7

24.9
75.1

61.1
38.9

13.8
86.2

Percent Minority Applications in ?SA
More than 22 Percent
2.055
Less than 22 Percent 18,640

36,841
156,670

19.0
81.0

39.6
60.4

13.6
86.4

53.8
46.2

12.5
87.5

Lenders operating in multiple
Native Americans, Blacks, and
Applicant income less than or
Cenaua tracts with 30 percent
Census tracts with 30 percent
Source:

Authors.

=As are treated as separate institutions.
Eispanica.
equal to ,S25.000.
or more of loan applications from minority applicants.
or more of loan applications from lw-income applicants.

,

28.8
23.2
1.1
23.0
9.0
14.9

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm

Table 4:

Minority and Lor-Income Lendins Relative to Total 1-4 Family Mortaga Lending, 1990 HMDA

Overall
Approval
Rate

~inorityl
Percent of
Appls .
Approval8

fype of XnrtitutioQ
Coamerciel Banks
Thrift Institutions
Credit Unions
Bank Subsidierias
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other )brt&e&e Banks

.82
.87
.89
.84
.86
.87

11.21
13.9
9.0
12.7
14.2
15.9

Sixa of Instltutto~
+ 500 Applications
100-500 Applicetlonr
< 100 Applications

.86
.85
.84

17.1
10.9
9.5

Market Share of Institutions
Nora than 5 Percent
.86
1-5 Percent
.85
La88 than 1 Percent
.84

14.2
13.2
11.6

Size of t E q
z 25,000 Applications
< 25.000 Applications

18.1
10.9

-

.86
.85

r *A
Percent Minority A ~ ~ l i c e t i o n in
Nora than 22 Percent
.80
31.8
La88 than 22 Percent
.86
10.3

LOW

Approval
Rate

Relative
Rate

Percent of
Appls.
Approval8

1ncome2
Approval Relative
Rate
Rate

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm

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clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm

Table 5: Minority and Lou-Income Lending Relative to Total 1-4 Famlly Mortgage Lending, Dollars of Loans, 1990 W A

Ovrrrll
Approval
Rate

-

~inoritvl
Percent of
Approval
Applr.
Approvals
Rate

~ o r r1ncome2

Relative
Rate

Percent of
Appls
Approvals

.

Approval Relative
Rate
Rate

Thrift Inrtitutionr
Credit Unionr
Bank Subridiarler
Thrift Subridiarler
Other Cbrtgage Bankr

.88
.90
.88
.87
.87

13.2
7.5
10.2
11.7
13.6

12.0
6.7
9.1
10.2
12.4

> 500 Applications

.07
.87
.88

15.1
9.1
7.7

13.7
7.9
6.8

.79
.75
.75

.91
.87
.89

5.2
7.6
7.0

4.6
6.6
6.0

.76
.76
.73

.87
.87
.85

Wrket Share o f Inrtitutionr
Cbre than 5 Percent
.08
1-5 Percmt
.87
Lerr thon 1 Percmt
.85

13.4
11.4
9.7

11.9
10.3
8.6

.77
.78
.75

.88
.90
.89

7.7
5.9
4.6

6.7
4.0
5.1

.76
.75
-73

.87
.86
.86

15.5
9.0

14.2
7.8

.79
.78

.92
.87

8.3
3.7

7.2
3.7

.75
.76

.87
.87

PLfc*nt M h ~ U u ? m l i c r t l o n r in W4
More than 22 Percont
.82
24.6
Lor8 than 22 Percent
.88
8.8

23.0
7.8

.77
.78

.94
.89

4.5
6.8

3.9
5.9

.70
.76

.85
.87

100-500 Application8
< 100 Applications

shu!Lm

> 25.000 Applications
< 25.000 Application8

.80
-87

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm

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clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm

Table 6: Sample Statistics for Analysis of Verirnce in Origination Ratios across Lenders, lggO IWlA

Number of
~ e n d e srl

Ori~inationRatio
Number of
Percent
Applications
of Total

new

Strndud
~eviation

Minoritx
Number
Dollar Value
number ~ e l a t i v *to
Nonminori ty
Minority Tracts
Number
Dollar Value
y -C

Number
&or-Income
Number
Dollar Value
lumber Relative to
Non-Lou-Incane

-t
Nuder
D o l l u Value
Central City Low-Income
Numb. r

Lenders operating in multiple FSAa u e treated as separate institutions. This includes
only those lenders with at least one minority applicant and at least one lorn acceptmco.
Source:

Authors.

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Tabla 7: Su~rmaryof Analysis of Origination Ratios across Lenders, 1990 BMDA

Percant Attributable to
Std. Dav.
to Varianca in2
of
Origination
Application
Ralativo
~atiol
~-s~uarel
Ratio
Approval h t a

Minority
Number
Dollar Value (1)
Number Relative to
Nominority (2)

-18
1.59

.91

87.4-91.1

8.9-12.6

.94

99.3-99.3

.7-.7

Minority Tracts
Numbar (3)
Dollar Value (4)

-19
.19

.91
.91

88.7-91.9
89.7-92.2

8.1-11.3
7.8-10.3

Central City Minority
Number (5)

.22

.93

82.5-88.5

11.5-17.5

Low-Income
Number (6)
Dollar Value (7)
Number Relative to
Non-Low-Income (8)

.52

.79

89.2-91.5

8.5-10.8

.23

.93

81.7-85.8

14.2-18.3

Low-Income Tracts
Number (9)
Dollar Valua (10)
Central City Low-Incme
Number (11)

Note: Analyaea of variance by typo of lander. air@ of landor. air. of FSA. and aira
of ).M minority population are reported in appendix tablea indicated in parantheaea.
Expressed as deviation around t.M means.
Minimum and maximum contributions to variance based on deviations around FSA means.

Source:

Authors

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Table 8: Allocation of Variance in Origination Ratios across Lenders:
Originations. 1990 RMDA

Number of Minority

Number of
~endersl

Std. Dev.
of
Origination
~atiol

Type of Institution
Comnercial Banks
Thrift Institutions
Credit Unions
Bank Subsidiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other Mortgage Banks

2.689
551
2,059
818
1,866

.14
.29
.15
.18
.18

.93
.97
.88
.90
.94

92.0-93.9
85.2-93.1
80.4-83.4
74.2-81.7
86.5-90.2

6.1-8.0
6.9-14.8
16.6-19.6
18.3-25.8
9.8-13.5

Size of Institution
> 500 Applications
100-500 Applications
< 100 Applications

774
3.488
7,336

.09
.08
.21

.99
.96
.92

92.8-98.8
96.5-98.0
85.0-89.3

1.2-7.2
2.0-3.5
10.7-15.0

Market Share of Institution
More than 5 Percent
1-5 Percent
Less Than 1 Percent

1.785
3,619
6.194

.07
.09
.22

.95
.93
;92

95.7-97.3
92.8-94.1
84.0-88.7

2.7-4.3
5.9-7.2
11.3-16.0

Size of MSA
> 25,000 Applications
c 25.000 Applications

2.225
9,373

.20
.17

.94
.91

86.4-91.0
86.6-90.4

9.0-13.6
9.6-13.4

1,484
10,114

.24
.17

.94
.92

76.6-86.8
87.7-91.0

13.2-23.4
9.0-12.2

Percent Minority A~plications
More than 22 Percent
Less than 22 Percent

Dependent Variable:

Percent Attributable to
Variance in3
~ - ~ ~ u a rMinority
e ~
Relative
Applications Approval Rate

Number of approved loans to minority applicants as e percent of a11 apprwed
loans.

Lenders operating in multiple MSAs are treated as separate institutions. This includes
only those lenders with st least one minority applicant and at leaat one loan acceptance.
Expressed as a deviation around l S A means,
Minimum and maximum contributions to variance basad on deviations around ).M means.

Source:

Authors.

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm

Table 9:

Percentage of Average Applicant Pool--Racial
Differencea Attributable to Various Sources, 1990 EIMDA

Applicant Economic
Characteristics
MSA Effect
Census Tract
Pure Lender Effect
Unexplained
Total Difference

Table 10:

Allocation of Institutional Differences in Minority
Application Rates, Deviations about MSA Means, 1990 BMDA

Applicant Economic
Characteristics
Census Tract
Unexplained Lender Effect

Table 11:

1.22
8.7
22.7
3.5
63.9
100.0

0.8-2.62
21.9-28.9
70.8-74.8

Difference in Average Minority and Nominority Percentage
Denial Rates Attributable to Various Sources, 1990 BMDA

Total

Nonminori ty Applicants
Percent of Nominorities
Actual Denial Rate
Applicant Economic
Characteristics
MSA Effect
Census Tract Effect
Overall Lender Effect
Residual (Unexplained)
Minority ~uplicantal
Percent of Minoritiea
Actual Denial Rate
Applicant Economic
Charscteristics
FSA Effect
Census Tract Effect
Overall Lender Effect
Residual (Unexplained)
Native Americana, Blacks. and Hispanics.

Source:

Authors.

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Table 12: Allocation of Institutional Differences in Relative
Approval Rates, Deviations about MSA Means, 1990 BMDA
Applicant Economic
Characteristics
Census Tract
Unexplained Lender Effect

Table 13:

Allocation of Institutional Differences in Minority
Approval Rates. Deviations about MSA Means, 1990 BMDA

Applicant Economic
Characteristics
Census Tract
Overall Lender Effect
.
Unexplained Lender Effect

Table 14:

2.5-5.72
3.6-4.2
26.4-38.3
53.8-65.9

Allocation of Institutional Differences in Total
Approval Rates, Deviations about MSA Means, 1990 EMDA

Applicant Economic
Characteristics
Census Tract
Unexplained Lender Effect

Source:

2.4-4.62
4.0-5.9
91.0-92.7

Authors.

3.4-10.9%
2.0-3.2
88.7-91.1

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 1: Allocation of Variance in Origination Ratio.
Minority Originations, 1990 EMDA

Number of
~endersl

M

Std. Dev.
of
Origination
~ a t i o ~

across Lenders:

Dollar Value of

Percent Attributable to
Variance in3
~ - S ~ u a r e2~ Minority
Relative
Applications Approval Rate

e of Institution
Comnercial Banks
Thrift Institutions
Credit Unions
Bank Subsidiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other Mortgage Banks

Size of Institution
> 500 Applications
'100-500 Applications
< 100 Applications
Market Share of Institution
More than 5 Percent
1-5 Percent
Less than 1 Percent
Size of USA
> 25,000 Applications
25,000 Applications
Percent Minority Auplications
More than 22 Percent
Less than 22 Percent

Dependent Variable:

Dollar value of approved loans to minority applicants as a percent of all
approved loans.

Lenders operating in multiple MSAs are treated as separate institutions. This include. only
those lenders with at least one minority applicant and at least one loan acceptance.
Expressed as a deviation around MSA means.
Minimum and maximum contributions to variance based on deviations around U5A means.

Source: Authors.

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 2: Allocation of Variance in Origination Ratios across Lenders:
Tract Originations, 1990 BMDA

Number of Minority

Number of
~endersl

Std. Dev.
of
Origination
Ratio2

e of Institution
Ccnmnercial Banks
Thrift Institutions
Credit Union.
Bank Subsidiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other Mortgage Banks

2,676
2,093
458
1,566
648
1,405

.22
.14
.26
.15
.20
-19

.92
.93
.96
.86
.88
.93

89-93%
92-85
88-92
85-86
73-78
88-92

7-11%
5-8
8-12
14-15
22-27
8-12

Size of Institutio~
> 500 Applications
100-500 Applications
< 100 Applications

734
2,775
5,337

.09
.10
.23

.99
.97
.91

98-100
98-99
86-90

0-2
1-2
10-14

Market Share of Institution
More than 5 Percent
1-5 Percent
Leas than 1 Percent

1.224
2.753
4,869

.08
.ll
.23

.95
.95
.91

97-98
96-97
86-90

< 25.000 Applications

2.027
6.819

.22
-18

.94
.91

89-92
88-91

Percent Minority Applications
More than 22 Percent
Less than 22 Percent

1.575
7.271

.24
.18

.95
.81

83-88
89-92

b

R-square2

Percent Attributable to
Variance in3
X Minority
Relative
Applications
Approval Rate

Size of t S A
z 25.000

Applications

Dependent Variable:

12-17
8-11

Number of approved loans for properties in census tracts where 30 percent or
more of the applicants are minorities as a percent of a11 approved loans.

Lenders o p e r a t i w in multiple PSAs are treated as separate institutions. This include. only
thorn. lenders with at leaat one minority applicant and at least one loan acceptance.
Erpreaaed as a deviation around ).ISA means.
fliniand r u i contributions to variance based on deviations around ).ISA means.

Source:

Authors

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 3: Allocation of Variance in Origination Ratios across Lenders:
Minority Tract Originations, 1990 HHDA

Dollar Value of

Number of
~endersl

Std. Dev.
of
Oriaination
Ilatio2

Size of Institution
z 500 Applications
100-500 Applications
< 100 Applications

734
2,775
5,337

.08
.09
.23

.99
.97
-91

96-100
98-99
09-91

Market Share of Institution
More than 5 Percent
1-5 Percent
Less than 1 Percent

1,224
2,753
4.869

.08
-10
.24

.Q6
.95
.Q1

97-99
97-98
88-90

1-3
2-3
10-12

Size of MSA
z 25.000 Applications
< 25.000 Applications

2,027
6,819

.22
-18

.94
.QO

09-91
QO-92

Q-11
8-10

Percent Minority ADDlications
More than 2 2 Percent
Less than 22 Percent

1,575
7.271

.26
-18

.B5
.91

87-89
90-92

b

R-Square2

Percent Attributable to
Variance in3
X Minority
Relative
Applications Approval Rate

e of Institution
Canrrercial Banks
Thrift Institutions
Credit Unions
Bank Subsidiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other Mortgage Banks

Dependent Variable:

11-13
6-10

Dollar value of approved loans for properties in census tracts where 30
percent or more of the applicants are minorities as a percent of all approved
lorn..

L m d e r s operati- in laultiple tSA8 are treated as separate institutions. This includes only
those lenders with at least one minority epplicant and et least one loan acceptance.
Expressed as l devietion around ).M means.
M i n i m and maxicontributions to variance besed on deviations around ).M means.

Source:

Authors

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 4:

Allocation of Variance in Origination Ratios across Lenders:
Originations Relative to Nominority Originations. 1990 HMDA

Number of
~enderal

M

Std. Dev.
of
Origination
~ a t i o ~

nu square'

Number of Minority

Percent Attributable to
Variance in3
X Minority
Relative
Applications Approval Rate

e of Institution
Ccamercial Banks
Thrift Institutions
Credit Unions
Bank Subsidiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other Mortgage Banks

Size of Institution
500 Applications
100-500 Applications
< 100 Applications

100-100
99-100
QQ-QQ

Market Share of Institution
More than 5 Percent
1-5 Percent
Less than 1 Percent
Size of MSA
> 25.000 Applications
c 25.000 Applications

99-QQ
QQ-QQ

Percent Minority Applications
More than 22 Percent
Less than 22 Percent
Total
Dependent Variable:

Number of approved loans to minority applicants relative to approved loans
to nominority applicants.

Lenders operatin8 in multiple P M s are treated as seperete institutions. This includes only
those lenders with at least one minority applicant and at leest one loan acceptance.
Expressed as a deviation around ).M means.
Minimum and maxicontributions to v a r i M C 0 based on deviations around PM means.

Source:

Authors

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 5: Allocation of Variance in Origination Ratios across Lenders:
City Minority Originations, 1990 BMDA

Number of Central

Number of
~endersl

Std. Dev.
of
Origination
~ a t i o ~

Percent Attributable to
Variance in3
~ - ~ t q u a r e X~ Minority
Relative
Applications
Approval Rate

Size of Institution
500 Applications
100-500 Applications
c 100 Applications

189
1,859
6,500

.12
.ll
.24

.99
.97
.93

77-99
96-98
81-87

1-23
2-4
13-19

Market Share of Institution
More than 5 Percent
1-5 Percent
Less than 1 Percent

1,785
2.820
3,943

.09
.13
.28

.95
.92
.94

94-97
86-91
78-85

3-6
9-14
15-22

> 25.000 Applications
c 25.000 Applications

1,570
6.970

.26
-21

.95
.92

82-89
82-88

11-18
12-18

Percent Minority Avvlications
More than 22 Percent
Less than 22 Percent

1.205
7,303

.25
.22

.94
.93

75-85
83-89

15-25
11-17

Type of Institution
Comnercial Banks
Thrift Institutions
Credit Unions
Bank Subsidiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other Mortgage Banks

Size of USA

Dependent Variable:

Number of approved loans to minority applicants in central city census tracts
as a percent of all approved loans to central city census tracts.

Lenders opmrating in multiplm =As arm treated as separate institutions. This includes only those
lenders with at lmast one minority applicant and at least onm loan acceptance.
Exprmssmd as a dmviation around t S A mmans.
Minimum and maximum contributions to variancm based on deviations around =A means.

Sourcm:

Authors.

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 6: Allocation of Variance in Origination Ratios across Lenders:
Income Originations, 1990 HMDA

Number of
~endersl

Std. Dev.
of
Origination
Ratio2

R-Square2

Number of Low-

Percent Attributable to
Variance in3
Z Minority
Relative
Applications
Approval Rate

T m e of Institution
C o m ~ e r c i a lBanks
Thrift Institutions
Credit Unions
Bank Subsidiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other Mortgage Banks
Size of Institution
> 500 Applications
100-500 Applications
c 100 Applications
Market Share of Institution
More than 5 Percent
1-5 Percent
Less than 1 Percent
Size of MSA
25.000 Applications
c 25,000 Applications
Percent Minority ADDlicationS
More than 22 Percent
Less than 2 2 Percent
Total
Dependent Variable:

Number of approved loans to applicants with income not &reator than S25,000
as a percent of all approved loans.

Lenders operating in multiple HSAs are treated as separate institutions. This includes only
those lenders with at least one minority applicant and at least one loan acceptance.
Expre88.d
as a deviation around ESA means.
Minimum and maximum contributiona to variance based on devistions around IM moans.

Source:

Authors

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 7: Allocation of Variance in Origination Ratios acroas Lenders:
Low-Income Originations, 1990 BMDA

Dollar Value of

Number of
~endersl

Std. Dev.
of
Origination
Ftatio2

1,898
7,591
4,162

.16
.29
.17

.96
.91
.93

96-97
82-85
92-94

3- 4
15-18
6- 8

Size of MSA
> 25.000 Applications
< 25.000 Applications

2.236
11,415

.22
.26

.91
.92

89-91
85-87

9-11
13-15

Percent Minority A~plications
More t h m 22 Percent
Less than 22 Percent

1,238
12,413

h

It-square2

Percent Attributable to
Variance in3
2 Minority
Relative
Applications
Approval Rate

e of Institution
Cocmercial Banks
Thrift Institutions
Credit Union8
Bank Subaidiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other Mortgage Banks

Size of Institution
500 Applications
100-500 Applications
< 100 Applications
Market Share of Institution
More than 5 Percent
1-5 Percent
Less than 1 Percent

Dependent Variable:

Dollar value of approved loan. to applicmts with i n c o w not areator t h m
$25,000 as a percent of a11 approved loans.

Lender. operating in multiple MSAs are treated ar separate institutions. This includes only
those lenders with at least one minority +pplicant and at least one loan acceptmce.
Expres.ed
as a deviation around MSA m o m s .
Minimum m d maximum contribution. to variance bared on dovietion. around l S A means.

Source:

Authors.

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 8: Allocation of Variance in Origination Ratios across Lenders:
Low-Income Tract Originations. 1990 BMDA

Std. Dev.
of
Origination
~atiol

Number of
Lenders1

square^

Number of

Percent Attributable to
Variance in3
X Minority
Relative
Applications Approval Rate

Type of Institution
Colrmercial Banks
Thrift Institutions
Credit Unions
Bank Subsidiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other Mortgage Banks
Size of Institution
z 500 Applications
100-500 Applications
c 100 Applications
Market Share of Institution
More than 5 Percent
1-5 Percent
Less than 1 Percent
Size of MSA
> 25,000 Applications
c 25,000 Applications
Percent Minority Auplications
More than 22 Percent
Less than 22 Percent

Dependent Variable:

Number of approved loans for properties in census tracts where 30 parcant or
more of the applicants have income not greater than S25.000 as a percent of
all approved loans.

Lenders operating in multiple MSAs are treated as separate institutions. This includes only
those lenders with at least one minority applicant and at least one loan acceptance.
Expressed as a deviation around MSA means.
Minimum and maximum contributions to variance based on deviations around MSA means.
'

Source:

Authors.

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 0: Allocation of Variance in Origination Ratios across Lenders:
Low-Income Tract Originations, 1090 BMDA

Number of
~endersl

M

Std. Dev.
of
Origination
~atio~

quare^ re^

Dollar Value of

Percent Attributable to
Variance in3
X Minority
Relative
Applications Approval Rate

e of Institution
Cormrercial Banks
Thrift Institutions
Credit Unions
Bank Subsidiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other Mortgage Banks

Size of Institution
> 500 Applications
100-500 Applications
< 100 Applications
Market Share of Institution
More than 5 Percent
1-5 Percent
Less than 1 Percent
Size of M A
r 25,000 Applications
4 25.000 Applications
Percent Minority Aoolications
More than 22 Percent
Less than 22 Percent

1.273
9,751

1.014
10.010

.24
.23

.93
.04

86-91
91-93

9-14
7-0

Total
Dependent Variable: Dollar value of approved loans for propertims in cmnsus tracts where 30
percent or more of the applicants have income not greater than $25,000 a
.
percent of all approved loans.

Lenders operating in multiple I S A s are treated as separatm inatitutions. This includms only
those lenders with at least one minority applicant and at least onm loan acceptancm.
Expressed as a deviation around M A means.
Minimum and maximum contribution. to variance based on deviations around ? S A mmans.

Source: Authors.

s

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 10: Allocation of Variance in Origination Ratios across Lenders: Number of Lo*Income Originations Relative to Non-Low-Income Originations, 1000 BMDA

Number of
~endersl

b

Std. Dev.
of
Origination
Flatio2

quare' re'

Percent Attributable to
Variance in3
Z Minority
Relative
Applications Approval Rate

e of Institution
Comnercial Banks
Thrift Institutions
Credit Unions
Bank Subsidiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other Mortgage Banks

Size of Institution
> 500 Applications
100-500 Applications
c 100 Applications
Market Share of Institution
More than 5 Percent
1-5 Percent
Less than 1 Percent
Size of HSA
> 25,000 Applications
c 25,000 Applications
Percent Minoritv Auulications
More than 2 2 Percent
Less than 22 Percent
Total
Dependent Variable:

Number of approved loans to low-income applicants relative to approved loans
for non-low-income applicants.

Lenders operating in multiple MSAs are treated as separate institutions. This includes only
those lenders with at least one minority applicant and at least one loan acceptance.
Expressed as a doviation around MSA means.
contributions to variance based on deviations around MSA means.
Minimum and maxi-

Source:

Authors.

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 11: Allocation of Variance in Origination Ratio8 across Lenders:
City Low-Income Originations, 1990 BHDA

Number of
~endersl

Std. Dev.
of
Origination
Ratio2

R-square2

Number of Central

Percent Attr.ibutable to
Variance in3
2 Minority
Relative
Applications Approval Rate

Type of Institution
Cocrmercial Banks
Thrift Institutions
Credit Unions
Bank Subsidiaries
Thrift Subsidiaries
Other Mortgage Banks
Size of Institution
> 500 Applications
100-500 Applications
< 100 Applications
Market Share of Institution
More than 5 Percent
1-5 Percent
Less than 1 Percent
Size of MSA
> 25.000 Applications
< 25.000 Applications
Percent Minority ADDli~ati0nS
More than 22 Percent
Less than 22 Percent

Dependent Variable:

Number of approved loans to low-income applicants in central city census
tracts as a percent of all approved loans to central city census tracts.

Lenders operating in multiple MSAs are treated as separate institutions. This includes only
those lenders with at least one minority applicant and st least one loan acceptance.
Expressed as a deviation around USA means.
Minimum and maximum contributions to variance based on deviations around WA means.

Source:

Authors.

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 12: Linear P r o b a b i l i t y Model of Minority ( 1 ) o r Nonminority ( 0 )

Parameter Estimate

Income
Incomo
Income
Incano
Incano
Incomo
Incomo
Income
Incomo
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan

S t a n d u d Error

(S1.000's~
Splino
Splino
Splino
Splino
Splino
Splino
Spline

Amount
h u n t
h u n t
h u a t
h u n t
h u a t
h u n t
h u n t
h u n t

at
at
at
at
at
at
at

S20k
S4Ok
S60k
S8Ok
SlOOk
S150k
SZOOk

($1.000'a1
Spline
Splino
Splino
Splino
Splino
Splino
Spline

at
at
at
ot
at
at
at

S20k
S4Ok
S60k
S8Ok
S100k
S125k
S200k

Loan-to-Incotno R a t i o (Dumnios. Lore than 1 . 5 I s Base Group1
R a t i o of 1 . 5 t o 2.0
-.00301 ***
Ratio of 2.0 t o 2.225
-.00244
R a t i o of 2.225 t o 2 . 5
.00093
Ratio of 2.5 t o 2.75
.00068
R a t i o of 2.75 to 3.0
.00455
R a t i o ovor 3.0
.00365

.00080
.00110
.00138
.00158
.00102
.00175

E m l i e a n t Gondor (I)umaios. Famalo Applicant. No Co-avplieant I s Base Group1
Ha10 A p p l i c m t , F.molo Co-applicant
-.02765 ***
.00644
Foamlo Applicant. Malo Co-opplicmt
-.01765 **
.00652
Halo Applicant and Co-applicant
-.01237
.00664
F a l o Applicant and Co-applicant
.00225
.00675
Halo Applicant, no Co-applicant
-.01565 ***
.00002
Jncomo. l n t o r a c t o d with no Co-avulicant
Income
I n c a w S p l i n e a t S20k
Incomo Spline o t S40k
I n c a m Splino a t S60k
Incano Splino o t SIOk
Incomo Spline o t SlOOk

-.00157
.00184
.00028
.00036
.00012
-.00047

-

***
***
**

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 12 (Continued)

Parameter Estimate

FHA Loan (Dummy)
VA Loan (Dummy)
Marital Status. Interacted with VA or FFlA Loan
No Co-applicant (VA Loan)
No Co-applicant (FHA Loan)
Income. Interacted with VA or FHA Loan
Income
Income Spline at S20k
Income Spline at S4Ok
Income Spline at S60k
Income Spline at S80k
Income Spline at SlOOk
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan

Amount. Interacted with VA or FHA Loan
h u n t
h u n t Spline at SZOk
h u n t Spline at S40k
Amount Spline at S60k
Amount Spline at S80k
Amount Spline at S100k

Loan-to-Income Ratio. Interacted with VA or FHA
Ratio of 1 . 5 to 2 . 0
Ratio of 2 . 0 to 2 . 2 5
Ratio of 2 . 2 5 to 2 . 5
Ratio of 2 . 5 to 2 . 7 5
Ratio of 2 . 7 5 to 3 . 0
Ratio over 3 . 0

.02287
.00166

***

-.00141
.00096
.00024
-.00001
- .00007
.00035

**

-.00171
.00151
00025
.00030
.00004
.00048

***
**

-.

Loan
-.00542
-.00601
-.01143
-.01058
-.00848
- .00967

**

***
**

.

.**

Significant at the 5 Percent Level
Significant at the 1 Percent Level
Significant at the .1 Percent Level

Number of Observations
Mean Uinority Share of Regression Sample
Number of TractlInstitution Dumnies
R-Squared (Including TractlInstitution Dunmiss)
R-Squared (Variation around TractlInstitution Means)

Source:

Authors

1.984.688
.I33
607.631
.577
.005

Standard Error

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 13: Linear Probability Model of Loan Denial (1) or Acceptance (0)

Parameter Estimate

Race (Dumoies. "Other Race" Is Base Grouu)
Black Applicant
Bispanic Applicant
Native American Applicant
Asian Applicant
White Applicant

.07271
.01031
- .00174
-.02186
-.02987

***
***

Mixed Race, Minority Co-applicant (Durrmy)
Mixed Race, Nominority Co-applicant (Dummy)

.02410
-.02690

***
***

Income
Income
Income
Income
Income
Income
Income
Income
Incrme
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan

Standard Error

***
**

.00337
,00329

($1.000'~)
Spline
Spline
Spline
Spline
Spline
Spline
Spline

Amount
Amount
Amount
Amount
Amount
Amount
Amount
Amount
Amount

at
at
at
at
at
at
at

S20k
S40k
S60k
S80k
S100k
S15Ok
S200k

(S1.000'~~
Spline
Spline
Spline
Spline
Spline
Spline
Spline

at
at
at
at
at
at
at

S20k
S40k
S60k
S80k
S100k
Sl25k
S200k

Loan-to-Income Ratio ( D m i e s . Less than 1.5 Is Base GrouuL
Ratio of 1.5 to 2.0
-.01016 ***
Ratio of 2.0 to 2.225
-.01168 ***
Ratio of 2.225 to 2.5
-.01185 ***
Ratio of 2.5 to 2.75
-.00737 ***
Ratio of 2.75 to 3.0
.00323
Ratio over 3.0
.05062 ***

.00105
.00141
.00163
.00187
.00227
.00207

Auplicant Gender (Dumnfes. Female A ~ ~ l l c a n tNo
. to-a~ulfcantIs Base Group1
Male Applicant. Famale Co-applicant
-.01886
.00763
Female Applicant. b l a Co-applicant
-.00766
.00772
Hale Applicant and Co-applicant
- .00390
.00787
Female Applicant and Co-epplicant
.01021
.00800
Hale Applicant, no Co-applicant
.02834 ***
.00109

-

Incune. Interacted With No Co-applicant
Income
Incoma Spline at S20k
Income Spline et S4Ok
Incanm Spline at S60k
Incane Splina at S8Ok
Incoma Spline at S100k

-.OO334 ***
.00516 ***
- .00051
-.00137 *.*
,00018
-.00045

Race and flarftal Status. Interacted with VA Loan
Black Applicant
,00667
Hispanic Applicant
.00866
Nativa American Applicant
,04929
Asian Applicant
.01699
Whita Applicant
- .02033
Other Race Applicant
.02562
Sin6la Applicant
-.00619

-

clevelandfed.org/research/workpaper/index.cfm
Appendix Table 13 (Continued)

Paramotor Entimate

Race and Marital Staturn. Interacted with FHA Loan
01967
Black Applicant
Binpanic Applicant
04312
Native Amorican Applicant
.00429
Asian Applicant
.03294
White Applicant
.03329
Other Race Applicant
.02377
No Co-Applicant
-.01230

-.

-.
-

Income. Interacted with VA or ERA Loan
Income
Income Spline at S20k
Income Spline at S40k
Income Spline at S60k
Income Spline at S80k
Income Spline at SlOOk
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan
Loan

h u n t . Interacted with VA or ERA Loan
hunt
h u n t Spline at S20k
h u n t Spline at S40k
h u n t Spline at S60k
h u n t Spline at S80k
h u n t Spline at SlOOk

-.00169
.00295
.00032
.00129
.00195
-.00157

-

.00366
-.00256
-.00231
.00066
-. 00038
.00052

**

***
**
***
***
***
***
***
***
***

Loan-to-Income Ratio. Interacted with VA or ERA Loan
.00333
Ratio of 1 . 5 to 2 . 0
Ratio of 2 . 0 to 2 . 2 5
-.00511
.00612
Ratio of 2 . 2 5 to 2 . 5
Ratio of 2 . 5 to 2 . 7 5
.00029
Ratio of 2 . 7 5 to 3 . 0
-.00449
Ratio Ovor 3 . 0
.00681

-

-

tt

Significant at tho 5 Porcont Lovol
Significant at the 1 Percent Lev01
Significant at tho . 1 Porcont L w o l

ttt

Numbor of Observations
Moan Denial Rat. in Rogroaaion S.mplo
Numbor of TractlInstitution hies
R-Squared (Including TractlInatitution hies)
R-Squared (Variation around TractlInstitution M o m s )

Source:

Authors.

1,984,688
.I48
607,631
. 4 56
.022

Standard Error