Emily DiVito

consumer protection, housing, banking/finance, and tax for @Groundwork | former @rooseveltinst and US Treasury | @wellesley and @columbiaSIPA

[Geoff Burgan @GeoffBurgan]

The bill explicitly protects lots of coupons and discounts through loyalty programs and much more.

You’re still going to get 10% off at your favorite store on your birthday (if they want to give that deal to you).

Seniors and veterans still get their discounts too.

[Geoff Burgan @GeoffBurgan]

Just after 12:30 AM and @TishJames’ top priority — to ban surveillance pricing — just passed both houses.

Big time issue, big time victory. ✅✅

[Emily DiVito @EmDiVito]

time to bring back my and @ENPancotti's greatest piece of writing ever -- our 2024 substack about the red lobster bankruptcy announcement:

[Elizabeth Warren @SenWarren]

How private equity gutted local malls: Joann Fabrics, Red Lobster, Claire's, and more.

[Emily DiVito @EmDiVito]

keep going, king

[Jonathan Martin @jmart]

NEWS: "I've written 983 pages" - Robert Caro on his final LBJ book

Via @cspan

https://t.co/ypwwZ0IhNs

[Groundwork Collaborative @Groundwork]

.@ezraklein and @DKThomp are spot on: you can't solve the housing crisis without addressing financing.

It's clear: we can’t deregulate our way to affordability.

[Heather Long @byHeatherLong]

NEW from me: The White House (and many economists) expected $700 to $1,000 higher refunds, on average.

The reality is closer to $375.

Bottom line: Yes, refunds are higher in 2026 (and likely to be the highest ever). But it's less of a spending boost (and cushion against higher gas prices) than many expected.

https://t.co/BVzpb7Ddv0

[Emily DiVito @EmDiVito]

Annual Tax Day reminder that Trump killed Direct File and now taxpayers have no choice but to shell out millions a year to TurboTax ✌️

[Emily DiVito @EmDiVito]

@MikeFellman

[Emily DiVito @EmDiVito]

@ENPancotti Huge win for the consumer

[Alex Jacquez @AlexSJacquez]

Last week, @Groundwork's @EmDiVito detailed how hundreds of thousands of borrowers are facing collection of "zombie" loans they thought were long gone.

Today, @SenWarren is demanding answers from Russ Vought for dropping the ball.

[Emily DiVito @EmDiVito]

I wrote about the insane and extractive corporate behavior behind the most popular dating apps for @Groundwork: https://t.co/nbZ7NCmbYn

[Emily DiVito @EmDiVito]

Match Group, the biggest name in online dating, sold personal data to a facial recognition firm. They were just fined $0.

You're not the customer, you're the product.

[Douglas Farrar @DouglasLFarrar]

The FTC just settled with OkCupid and Match Group for secretly handing nearly 3 million users' dating profile photos and location data to Clarifai, a company that builds facial recognition software(!!!).

The penalty? A promise not to do it again.

[Emily DiVito @EmDiVito]

Link: https://t.co/gr3OpzFDDs

[Emily DiVito @EmDiVito]

As if the Great Recession wasn't haunting enough, debt collectors are going after the "zombie" mortgages left over from the era.

My piece for @BorrowerJustice explores the predatory behavior that's threatening families with *decades* of back interest on loans -- or eviction.

[Emily DiVito @EmDiVito]

Full paper from @MikeFellman and J.W. Mason here: https://t.co/QmfVxDQmNk

[Emily DiVito @EmDiVito]

New report (with a rad cover) out today from @Groundwork: We can't deregulate our way to housing affordability.

The real crisis isn't too much regulation — it's a broken financing system.

[Emily DiVito @EmDiVito]

Getting more public money into the capital stack can mitigate developers' req. to chase rent growth:
1. Fannie and Freddie can buy mezzanine construction loans.
2. FHLB can better support construction.
3. More states / cities can set up revolving loan funds and equity programs.

[Alex Jacquez @AlexSJacquez]

🚨 NEW from @Groundwork: Despite what you may have been told, we can't deregulate our way to housing affordability. The housing debate is badly missing the most critical piece: finance.

From @MikeFellman and J.W. Mason 🧵