CRA Newswire

FEMA: Federal Aid Programs for the State of Mississippi

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Donald J. Trump’s disaster declaration issued for the state of Mississippi. Assistance for State and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required: Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for…

FEMA: California Disaster Declaration Amended

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that additional disaster assistance is available to the state of California. The additional assistance authorizes an increase in federal funding for emergency protective measures undertaken in the state of California as a result of wildfires from October 8 through October 31, 2017. Under the President’s major disaster declaration…

CFPB: A Five-Step Spending Plan to Avoid Holiday Debt

The holidays can put a financial burden even on the savviest of shoppers and savers. But like most things, taking time to plan can help you avoid the stress that comes with overspending. Before you hit the mall or shop for Black Friday deals, keep reading to learn how to make a holiday spending plan…

CFPB: Five Ways Banks and Lenders Work with People Who Speak or Understand Limited English

By Alice Chang and Dubis Correal and Holly Zaharchuk   More than one out of every 12 people over the age of five in the U.S. are limited English proficient (LEP), meaning that they speak English less than very well, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 American Community Survey One-Year Estimates. LEP consumers may…

FFIEC: Federal Financial Institutions Regulatory Agencies Announce Availability of 2016 Small Business, Small Farm and Community Development Lending Data

The three federal banking agency members of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) with Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) responsibilities — the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency — announced today the availability of data on small business, small…

Census Bureau: Services Sector Revenue Rises to $15.5 Trillion

Revenue generated by service sector firms increased 4.4 percent between 2015 and 2016, according to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 Service Annual Survey (SAS). Revenue for all service sectors covered by the program is estimated at $15.5 trillion for 2016. This is the first SAS release to include information for the North American…

Census Bureau: New Data Tools and Apps to Be Revealed at Technology Demo Day on November 29th

What: The U.S. Census Bureau will showcase 12 new innovative projects at an interagency demonstration day created through a federal initiative called The Opportunity Project (TOP). These new tools address problems such as youth and veteran homelessness, engaging hard-to-count populations in the decennial census and making federal grants data user-friendly. TOP is a collaborative effort…

SBA: Shop “Small” this Saturday

SBA Administrator Linda McMahon calls on Americans to shop local small businesses on Saturday, November 25 Linda McMahon, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, is reminding Americans that shopping  on Small Business Saturday supports America’s thriving small businesses. “Small Business Saturday is about supporting local businesses and creating jobs in communities all across America,”…

FHFA: 2018 Multifamily Lending Caps for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Announced

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced that the 2018 multifamily lending caps for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will be $35 billion for each Enterprise, down from $36.5 billion in 2017.  The caps are based on projections of the overall size of the 2018 multifamily originations market, which FHFA expects to…