Archives
Financial “Progress” Leaves Communities Behind
For the past 20 years, the financial services industries have lobbied Congress to rewrite the key law that regulates them to better serve their...
Opportunity in Next Wave of Mergers
Final passage of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley bill means neighborhoods are likely to face two new investment battles, one local and one national. Locally, we'll face...
Financial Modernization: A CRA Organizer’s Worst Nightmare
Shortly after the passage of the Financial Modernization Act, a banker was heard to say to Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, the executive director of New Jersey...
Rural Lending in the Financial Modernization Era
The banking industry has touted financial modernization as revolutionary legislation that will improve services and reduce costs for all Americans. The actual outcomes may...
CRA Weakened
The Community Reinvestment Act, a major tool for twenty years in bringing capital and fairer banking into low income neighborhoods, has been weakened by...
Communities Need to Capitalize on Financial Services Modernization Act
Seldom in legislation as complex as the recently enacted Financial Services Modernization Act does any group get everything it wants. In this case, however,...
Financial Reform Bill a CRA Coup, Despite Its Flaws
Though some have declared war on the financial services modernization legislation, it is important to keep perspective on issues such as the Community Reinvestment...
Banks Spend Millions To Line Their Pockets With Your Money
In 1997 and 1998, banks, insurance companies, and brokerage firms spent over $300 million on lobbying and political contributions. While their "investment" in pushing...
You Get What You Need
To quote Mick Jagger, "You can't always get what you want, but if you try real hard, you'll get what you need." The CRA provisions...
Congress Passes, Communities Pay
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley paves the way for a wave of mergers creating Citigroup-like conglomerates that span banking, insurance and securities, and control hundreds of billions...
Into Every Life a Little Sunshine Must Fall
An important part of the National Low Income Housing Coalition's mission to ensure decent, affordable housing within healthy neighborhoods for everyone is the work...
“Banking Jackpot”
"All in all, I think we hit the jackpot," President Ronald Reagan told a Rose Garden audience of congressmen and lobbyists celebrating the deregulation...
Clearing the Air
The Bronx neighborhood of Hunts Point has one of the highest asthma rates in the world. Home to the world's largest food distribution center,...
Capital Campaigns
Burdened by the typical funding limitation CDCs face – program specific, short term, restricted use, etc. – Isles, Inc. of Trenton, New Jersey decided...
Shelter Shorts
New York City Sweeps Up HomelessNew York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has struck again, this time against the city's homeless. Homeless advocates were already...
Town & Gown: Making Research Serve Communities’ Needs
Academics often get a bad reputation for studying poor communities without involving them in study design. But some researchers are doing it differently.
Planning Power
Many recent changes in Minneapolis, Minnesota – from community schools to traffic calming to new streetlights to community policing – are being designed, proposed,...
Hopeful Signs
We hate being bummed out at the end of a millennium. Makes it tough to enjoy those 00 years. But as we approach the...
Seattle Neighborhood Planning
At first glance, the Neighborhood Planning Program in Seattle, Washington, sounds like a remarkably progressive idea. Begun in 1995, the program is one of...
CRA Survives Its Toughest Challenge
There is nothing more exhilarating than to be shot at without result. –Winston Churchill The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) has survived the most serious attack in...