ABSTRACT
Affordable credit, basic financial services, and investment capital are critical to community health. Individuals need mortgages to purchase and maintain their homes. Developers require financing to build and rehabilitate commercial properties, community facilities, and affordable housing. Businesses need capital in order to grow. Community residents and local institutions require safe, affordable financial accounts where they can keep and build their assets. Unfortunately, low-income communities and individuals have limited access to financial services, affordable credit, and investment capital. The lack of such financing has hampered efforts to improve conditions in these areas.
