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  Community Affairs

Established in 1993, the mission of the Community Affairs Program is to support the thrift industry's efforts to meet the convenience and needs of the communities they are chartered to serve, meet their Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) obligations, and provide safe and sound loans, investments and financial services for low and moderate income individuals and communities, and other areas of greatest need. We work with community-based organizations, government officials and others to promote partnerships and other initiatives with thrifts at the local level to address and respond to community and economic development needs. The Community Affairs staff provides:

• Outreach - Community Affairs staff 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 - Community Affairs staff 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 - Community Affairs staff promotes forums for thrifts, community organizations and others to discuss local community credit and financial services needs and ways in which financial institutions can assist in meeting those needs.

• Individualized Assistance to Institutions - Community Affairs staff 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; and provide training, technical or regulatory policy assistance in the areas of community development and CRA.

• Publications - The quarterly 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. OTS Community Affairs staff also publishes periodic informational materials on current community development topics.

• Research and Policy Guidance - Community Affairs staff work to address community development related regulatory barriers; 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 - Includes a list by region of the OTS community contacts. (08/14/2002)

Publications, Upcoming Events & Links - Includes pamphlets and publications highlighting community development activities, upcoming events, and other consumer topics. (08/14/2002)