Welcome to Community Affairs - the OCC's community development resource for
national banks, government agencies, and community organizations.
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What's New in Community Affairs
Recently Released Publications
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Preservation
of Affordable Multifamily Housing (NR
2008-51)
Preservation of Affordable Multifamily Housing (Spring 2008) features an
overview of the challenges facing the nation's affordable multifamily rental
housing inventory and describes how a variety of public, private, and nonprofit
initiatives have addressed these challenges. This issue also highlights the
specific activities and investments of selected national banks, nonprofit
organizations, and state and local government agencies in supporting the
preservation of affordable multifamily rental housing.
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Low-Income Housing Tax
Credits: Affordable Housing Investment Opportunities for Banks
(NR 2008-10)
This edition of Community Developments Insights describes how LIHTCs are used
to develop affordable rental housing and how banks can benefit from investing
in LIHTC-financed projects. It describes the two approaches for investing in
LIHTCs - direct investments in individual affordable housing projects and fund
investments that have multiple projects managed by third parties. The report
outlines risks and regulatory considerations of LIHTC investments and describes
how these investments would be considered under the Community Reinvestment Act
(CRA).
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Understanding Employer
Assisted Mortgage Programs: A Primer for National Banks
(NR 2007-88)
This edition of Community Development Insights examines the primary risks and
regulatory considerations associated with employer assisted mortgages. The
report illustrates how lenders can implement their own successful employer
assisted programs or work with other employers to create such initiatives. The
paper also discusses how banks participating in these programs may meet their
Community Reinvestment Act obligations by providing mortgages to low- or
moderate-income homebuyers or purchasers of properties in low- or moderate-
income neighborhoods.
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Foreclosure
Prevention: Improving Contact with Borrowers
(NR 2007-61)
This edition of Insights highlights best practices loan servicers are using to
improve their contact rate with delinquent mortgage borrowers. These best
practices include, but are not limited to, the use of sophisticated scoring
models, customer friendly approaches, partnerships with nonprofit credit
counselors, and web-based information on workout options.
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Community
Development Venture Capital: A Catalyst for Double Bottom-Line Results
(NR 2007-35)
This issue of Community Developments Investments features a state of the
industry review by Kerwin Tesdell, president of the Community Development
Venture Capital Alliance and an article by Lee Winslett of Wells Fargo
describing some of the successful investments his bank has made in CDVC funds.
This edition also highlights the story of Kentucky Highlands Investment
Corporation, which has been funding CDVC in rural Appalachia for the past
30-years, and 10 tips on CDVC investment due diligence by Fred Mendez of
Silicon Valley Bank.
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New
Markets Tax Credits: Unlocking Investment Potential
(NR 2007-15)
This edition of Insights examines the primary risks and regulatory
considerations associated with New Market Tax Credits (NMTCs) and discusses the
ways in which bank investors have structured and managed these credits
effectively. Banks have been active participants in the NMTC program because of
the ability to generate competitive economic returns, and the opportunities
they present for positive CRA consideration.
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Community
Developments Newsletter Focuses on Minority-Owned Financial Institutions
(NR-2006-140)
The Winter 2006 - 2007 edition of the OCC's Community Developments newsletter
focuses on minority-owned institutions, the strategies they employ to serve
their markets, and how majority-owned institutions can partner with
minority-owned banks and receive consideration under the Community Reinvestment
Act.
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OCC
Highlights Strategies for Reaching Ethnic Markets
(NR 2006-123)
This edition of Insights examines selected strategies being used by community
banks to target specific minority markets in the United States, the impact of
these strategies on bringing unbanked consumers into the banking system, and
some risks and regulatory considerations associated with each strategy.
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2005
CRA Revisions: How Banks and Examiners Are Implementing the New Rules
(NR 2006-91)
The Summer 2006 edition of Community Developments Investments discusses
changes to CRA regulations promulgated in 2005, including the creation of a new
Intermediate Small Bank test and an expanded definition of community
development.
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Community
Developments Newsletter Focuses on Foreclosure Prevention
(NR-2006-53)
The Spring 2006 edition of the Community Developments Newsletter focuses
on a number of ways banks can help to reduce foreclosures through partnering
with non-profits and successfully implementing early intervention strategies
with troubled borrowers.
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