(RECAP: Is there still a gender gap when it comes to mortgages? While single women have come a long way from the days when a man had to guarantee their mortgage, the Urban Institute thinks that they, or perhaps more correctly the industry, still have a long way to go. Urban Institute researchers write that female only borrowers made up 20 percent of those taking a mortgage in 2014. This is a group that is disproportionately minority and lower income yet are better than men at paying their mortgages. Still they get no price break for this performance and are denied mortgages at higher rates than men. While the share of female-only borrowers has declined slightly since the boom, it averaged 21.5 percent across the decade ending in 2014. Male-only borrowers accounted for a 29 percent share and male-female borrowers accounted for 48 percent.)

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(RECAP: The U.S. House Financial Services Committee is expected on Tuesday to pass a revamp of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law, but the bill is not anticipated to receive President Barack Obama’s signature if it ever reaches his desk. The bill, introduced this summer by the committee chairman, Republican Jeb Hensarling, would allow banks to choose between complying with Dodd-Frank or meeting much tougher capital requirements. Dodd-Frank, which was passed in the aftermath of the 2007-08 financial crisis and economic recession, has been the target of ire by Republicans and some banks. Critics say Congress went too far in its attempt to clamp down on Wall Street and prevent another financial meltdown and that the law imposes overly burdensome requirements and gives regulators too much power. Corresponding legislation to Hensarling’s bill has not been introduced in the Senate.)

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(RECAP: Virginia’s housing industry generated $47.8 billion in economic activity in 2015, with $21.8 billion in direct output, making it the sixth-largest private sector industry in Virginia in terms of direct output, according to a study released Sept. 2 by the Virginia Housing Policy Advisory Council. The council develops policy initiatives aimed at addressing critical housing needs. “The economic impact study showcases Virginia’s housing industry as an economic driver that generates thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity, making it a central component of our economic strategy,” Gov. Terry McAuliffe said in a statement. “Housing is a key indicator of any community’s vitality, and we will continue to develop strong housing policies as we build a new Virginia economy.”)

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