Established in 1993, the OTS Community Affairs program helps to provide fair access to financial services in areas with the greatest need, particularly to low- and moderate-income communities and individuals.
The program strives to ensure fair treatment of thrift customers. It also supports efforts by the thrift industry to engage in sound and successful community development activities, and meet its obligations under the Community Reinvestment Act.
We work with community-based organizations, government officials and others to promote partnerships and other initiatives to respond to communities' economic development needs.
Join Our Community Affairs Mailing List - Receive periodic e-mail messages with our latest newsletter and other information about community development activities.
Outreach - We work with financial institutions, government agencies at all levels, community organizations and others to identify community credit and financial services needs; existing and emerging market opportunities; available secondary funding or subsidy resources that can help leverage thrift funding of projects and programs that benefit underserved communities; best practices that highlight successful and profitable private sector initiatives in community development; and regulatory barriers and strategies for addressing them.
Training - We sponsor or co-sponsor training events for the industry and OTS staff. Training is focused on community development challenges and opportunities, emerging issues, investment authority, programs and products, and CRA.
Partnership Development and Promotion - We promote forums for thrifts, community organizations and others to discuss local community credit and financial services needs and ways financial institutions can assist in meeting those needs.
Individualized Assistance to Institutions - We provide one-on-one assistance to thrifts to help identify community development opportunities; CRA eligible loans, investments and services; and new business opportunities in underserved or undervalued markets. We also provide training, and technical or regulatory policy assistance to thrifts in the areas of community development and CRA.
Publications - Our newsletter, Community Liaison, features articles on current community development issues and innovative programs throughout the United States, and highlights community development activities of the thrift industry. We also publish periodic materials on current community development topics.
Research and Policy Guidance - We try to lower regulatory barriers to community development; clarify investment authority; and provide guidance to staff and the industry on community development investment authority. We continue to research new issues pertaining to community development and provide guidance to the industry.
Community Affairs Liaisons - Community contacts at OTS headquarters and in each of our five regions.
1700 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20552
Phone (202) 906-6000 | E-mail