The CRA encourages banks to meet the credit needs of all communities they serve, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. The Center believes it is important to continue strengthening how this law drives investments in affordable housing supply and boosts local economies, especially in hard-to-reach communities.

CDFIs are specialized lenders that provide affordable capital to underserved communities in order to support housing, small businesses, and community facilities. The Center is laser-focused on expanding our ability to serve more communities and hardworking families, and knows that CDFIs have and will continue to play an essential role in that work.

At the Center for Affordable Housing Lending, we firmly believe efforts to confront America’s housing crisis and increase the affordability of housing for homeowners and renters start with increasing supply. The Center believes there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all answer and is focused on researching and promoting supply-side solutions that center housing production, preservation, and multifamily rental properties.

The Center is focused on research and policies that allow families to access homeownership as a pathway to long-term financial stability and generational wealth. This includes promoting solutions that repair aging homes, enabling owners to pass on wealth – and solutions that unlock starter homes for families ready for ownership.

This category of research focuses on the systems and tools — public, private, and nonprofit — that finance the creation and preservation of affordable housing and vibrant, inclusive communities.