FEMA: $140 Million Announced for Emergency Food and Shelter Program
FEMA has announced that $140 million will be available to communities across the county to assist with feeding and sheltering. Congress made $125 million available for Fiscal Year 2020, and this year, the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) National Board is including an additional $15 million from funds that have not been used from…
Census Bureau: Webinar on Release of 2015-2019 American Community Survey Statistics Scheduled for December 3rd
What: The U.S. Census Bureau is set to hold an informational webinar Dec. 3 in advance of the Dec. 10 release of 2015-2019 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates. The webinar will show participants how to access the new ACS data and online resources from the release. Attendees will also learn about changes in the estimates and tips for…
ABA: National Survey Shows 99 Percent of Consumers Give High Marks to Their Bank’s Online and Mobile Experience
Ninety-nine percent of consumers rated their bank’s online and mobile app experience as “excellent,” “very good,” or “good,”—4 percentage points higher than last year’s record mark—according to a national survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the American Bankers Association. In addition, 84% of those surveyed said innovation and technological improvements by banks are…
OCC: Proposed Rule Would Ensure Fair Access to Bank Services, Capital and Credit
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today proposed a rule to ensure fair access to banking services provided by national banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches and agencies of foreign bank organizations. The proposal would codify more than a decade of OCC guidance stating that banks should provide access to services,…
Interim Final Rule Provides Temporary Relief to Community Banking Organizations Due to Coronavirus Response
The federal bank regulatory agencies on Friday announced an interim final rule that provides temporary relief for certain community banking organizations related to certain regulations and reporting requirements as a result, in large part, of their growth in size from the coronavirus response. Community banking organizations are subject to different rules and requirements based on…
FEMA: New Study Released Highlighting Benefits of Higher Building Code Standards
FEMA released the “Building Codes Save: A Nationwide Study,” which highlights and uses big data to show the benefits of constructing buildings at a higher building code standard for natural disasters such as wind, floods and seismic activity. In the United States, FEMA found that 18.1 million buildings constructed at a higher building code standard…
Federal Reserve: New York Fed Releases Report About Credit Access and Debt Payment for Low-Income Americans
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York today released a report on the effects COVID-19 has had on low-income Americans’ ability to access credit and pay down debt. The report, “State of Low-Income America: Credit Access & Debt Payment,” uses data from the New York Fed’s Consumer Credit Panel, which is based on Equifax credit…
Census Bureau: New and Updated North American Product Classification System Codes (NAPCS) Published
Today the U.S. Census Bureau published new and updated North American Product Classification System (NAPCS) codes as part of the 2017 Economic Census. The NAPCS is a comprehensive, market-based, hierarchical classification system for goods and services. The NAPCS: Is not industry-of-origin based but can be linked to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) industry structure. Is consistent…
Census Bureau: Small Business Pulse Survey Phase 3 Weekly Data Released
The U.S. Census Bureau today released new data from the third phase of the Small Business Pulse Survey. Data collection began November 9, 2020. Results will be released weekly starting November 19, 2020, through January 14, 2021. No changes were made to the questionnaire for this phase. Data are available through the Small Business Pulse Survey Interactive…
EDA: $2.4 Million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance to Implement a Technical Assistance Program and Support Businesses in Louisana
Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2.4 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to develop a technical assistance program and support business attraction and retention efforts across the state in response to adverse…