Voices Blog – News & views for the community development field
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Why are Native homebuyers ending up with more expensive loans?
Financing manufactured homes can cost Native borrowers on reservations twice as much as off-reservation white borrowers. A risky type of loan fuels the cost gap.
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Community perspectives and conditions from the Fed’s Beige Book, May 2024
Here’s what nonprofit and community leaders, and workforce professionals serving lower-income people shared with the Federal Reserve for the May 2024 Beige Book.
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![[Watch] The Changing Landscape of In-person Banking](https://fedcommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/connecting-communities-banking-deserts.png?w=1024)
[Watch] The Changing Landscape of In-person Banking
In a recent Connecting Communities webinar, experts discussed how US bank branch closures affect lower-income, rural, older, and disabled customers. They highlighted the value of in-person banking and tools like the Fed’s Banking Deserts Dashboard. Watch on demand.
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Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2023
The Federal Reserve’s Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking tracks financial circumstances and risks for low- and moderate-income families. This year’s survey includes topics like inflation, emergency savings, and new areas such as food sufficiency and caregiving.
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Despite low pay and long hours, child care is a business many still want to enter. Why?
Many new child care providers are entering the profession for reasons other than money. A recent survey by the Minneapolis Fed examines the variety of motivations attracting people to the industry.
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CDFI innovations in consumer and small business finance
CDFIs shared innovative practices for consumer and small business finance business lines in their responses to the Federal Reserve’s 2023 CDFI Survey.
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How the Fed goes beyond the data to try to make the economy work for everyone
Utilizing qualitative data from various sources helps paint a comprehensive picture of economic well-being and guides policy discussions at the Federal Reserve. Amidst uncertainties, staying connected to the pulse of real-world experiences remains key.
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Unveiling the effects of wildfire smoke on vulnerable communities
While the impacts of wildfire smoke are widespread, not all communities share in them equally. This post explores the hidden economic impacts of wildfire smoke, with new data on how it hits low-income communities hardest.
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Losing the family home, with ripples down the bloodline
Heirs’ property situations can strain family relationships and put billions of dollars of wealth at stake. Read one woman’s story and learn how she’s now working to help others preserve their family ties, homes, and financial stability.
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Community perspectives and conditions from the Fed’s Beige Book, April 2024
Here’s what nonprofit and community leaders, and workforce professionals serving lower-income people shared with the Federal Reserve for the April 2024 Beige Book.
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A key but underrecognized economic driver: Behavioral health
Two unlikely partners—the New York Fed and SAMHSA—are teaming up in Puerto Rico to highlight and address the connection between mental health, addiction issues, and economic outcomes.
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![[Infographic] Looking under the hood of the auto finance market](https://fedcommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/auto-lending-header.jpg?w=1024)
[Infographic] Looking under the hood of the auto finance market
Purchasing a car is a big deal for most households. But when financing that purchase—a common choice for US consumers—things can get complicated.