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Built to fail? Contracts for deeds often sell a homeownership illusion
Contract for deed homeownership agreements can appeal to lower-priced homebuyers who believe they are unable to qualify for or secure a mortgage. But CFDs often lack consumer protections and can cost unsuspecting buyers their home and their investment in it.
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Latest news and views
Get insights from the Fed’s community development teams and their collaborators.
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Making the connections: Louisiana’s keys to broadband success
In early 2024, the American Enterprise Institute ranked ConnectLA as the nation’s top performing broadband office in its annual evaluation of state broadband programs. ConnectLA’s secret to its success—community engagement.
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US small businesses: Recovery continues, a national initiative gains steam
At the 2024 SSBCI Midwest Regional Conference in Kansas City in August, jurisdictions throughout the Midwestern states and tribal governments convened with Treasury staff, bankers, and community development lenders to discuss ways to ensure funds from the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) reach small businesses and entrepreneurs, particularly those in underserved communities.
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The Quarterly Catch-up, Q3 2024
Check out the latest community development-related research, analyses, and articles from all 12 Federal Reserve Banks and the Board of Governors. This post captures content published between July 1 and September 30, 2024, on topics affecting marginalized communities.
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Short-term credentials and the labor market: Who stands to benefit?
Short-term credentials, such as certifications, are becoming more popular due to the timely and cost-effective targeted training they offer for specific jobs. However, their value varies widely across industries and educational levels, with mixed impacts on wages and employment outcomes.
People, partners, and progress
Explore inspiring stories and profiles showcasing the collaborative efforts and impactful work in community development across the Federal Reserve System.
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Opportunity Finance Network: It takes more than money to serve the underserved
As mission-driven lenders, community development financial institutions (CDFIs) invest their funds and capacity building in underserved areas. The Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) supports these unique organizations, working with the Fed to understand CDFIs’ impact.
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Javier Silva elevates the perspectives of Spanish-speaking communities around climate resilience and health economic outcomes
At work, Javier Silva brings together two distinct but important worlds of community development and the Spanish language. “In community development I try to help areas that are underserved and need attention on health equity and climate resiliency /adaptation—two of our team’s thematic focus.”
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A rural foundation for success in community conversation
As a Community Development Regional Manager at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Erika Bell helps amplify people’s voices.
Explore data and research
From survey findings to dashboards, the Fed’s data can inform collaborative efforts between policymakers, employers, and educators.
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Read more →: Using Qualitative Research to Understand the Economy: A ToolkitUsing Qualitative Research to Understand the Economy: A Toolkit
The toolkit offers insights on using community-engaged qualitative research practices gleaned from the Federal Reserve’s Worker Voices Project and shows how others can use these methods in their own work. This toolkit is for researchers, policymakers, employers, and workforce organizations interested in partnering with the populations they serve and elevating community perspectives.
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Read more →: Community Perspectives Survey: Insights from the field—Health of entities serving low- and moderate-income communitiesCommunity Perspectives Survey: Insights from the field—Health of entities serving low- and moderate-income communities
The second report from the 2024 Community Perspectives Survey focuses on the health of organizations serving low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities and discusses the challenges they face. These organizations provide vital services to lower-income communities and infrastructure that promotes economic resilience and mobility.
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Read more →: Community Perspectives Survey: Insights from the field—Economic conditions in low- and moderate-income communitiesCommunity Perspectives Survey: Insights from the field—Economic conditions in low- and moderate-income communities
The 2024 Community Perspectives Survey, conducted nationally by the Federal Reserve, provides an overview of economic conditions in low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities. The first report examines key findings in the areas of housing, employment, financial stability, health, education, small business and access to technology.
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Read more →: Worker Voices Special Brief: Self-Employment, Dreams Versus RealityWorker Voices Special Brief: Self-Employment, Dreams Versus Reality
Worker Voices participants described weighing the tradeoffs of self-employment from the independence it gave to its income generation potential. This research found that participants were pushed or pulled into self-employment for a variety of factors and their experiences did not align with their expectations of this work.