Community Affairs Staff Available to Answer Questions on Issues Affecting LMI Communities

The Community Affairs staff at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis provides assistance to organizations and financial institutions in the Fed's Eighth District. Shown are, from left: (front row) Cindy Davis, administrative assistant; Glenda Wilson, Community Affairs officer; Ellen Eubank, Community Affairs manager; and Linda Fischer, Bridges assistant editor; (back row) Lyn Haralson, Community Affairs analyst; Jean Morisseau-Kuni, Community Affairs analyst; Faith Weekly, Community Affairs analyst; and Mary Karr, senior officer. Not shown: Matt Ashby, Community Affairs specialist.

Editor's Note: Find updated contact information for the St. Louis Fed Community Development team here.

Creating a more resilient community sounds lofty, but it can be a reasonable goal for your organization. Whether you're working on housing affordability issues or promoting financial services to new immigrants, it's important to have someone to help with fundamental financial aspects of community development initiatives. When designing community development programs, information about the financial infrastructure of the community and knowledge about capital assets can help ensure greater success.

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has Community Affairs staff members who can provide advisory services on a number of important issues affecting low- and moderate-income individuals and communities. We provide technical assistance without charge to financial institutions, community-based organizations, government entities and others engaged in community and economic development. The Bank's district includes all of Arkansas and portions of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi.

Topics that the Community Affairs staff may provide assistance with include:

• financing for development of affordable housing;
• policy and regulatory guidance on issues such as the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) and fair lending;
• identification of local community credit needs and innovative ways to address those needs;
• CRA lending, service and investment opportunities;
• financial education and asset- building strategies such as individual development accounts (IDAs) and earned income tax credits (EITCs);
• development of loan consortia, revolving loan funds or multi- bank community development corporations;
• community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and Bank Enterprise Act (BEAs) programs;
• small business, microenterprise and entrepreneurship financing sources; and
• tax credit programs,community development financing and gap financing.

To inquire about assistance for your organization, call:

St. Louis: Matt Ashby at (314) 444-8891 or Jean Morisseau-Kuni at (314) 444-8646 or 1-800-333-0810.

Louisville: Faith Weekly at (502) 568-9216 or 1-800-292-3596 (in Kentucky) or 1-800-626-4507 (outside Kentucky).

Little Rock: Lyn Haralson at (501) 324-8240 or 1-800-482-9463 (in Arkansas) or 1-800-332-0813 (outside Arkansas).

Memphis: Ellen Eubank at (901) 579-2421 or 1-800-552-5132 (in Tennessee) or 1-800-238-5293 (outside Tennessee).