Economic Inclusion

HUD: $10.5 Million Awarded to Hispanic Serving Institutions for Housing Research Centers

Grant funding supports HUD’s commitment to diverse and equitable housing solutions, empowering underserved communities through research. Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced $10.5 million in grant awards to four Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) to establish research Centers of Excellence (COEs) to conduct housing and community development research. HUD made the announcement at…

OCC: Executive Director for Office of Minority and Women Inclusion Announced

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today announced Shinu Shilesh as the Executive Director for the agency’s Office of Minority and Women Inclusion. In this role, Ms. Shilesh provides executive direction, sets policies, and oversees all agency matters relating to equal employment opportunity, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in management, employment, and…

HUD: Nearly $1 Million Awarded for Research to Close Homeownership Gap

Grants support efforts to address disparities in access to mortgage financing and homeownership for borrowers of color and other underserved groups Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced nearly $1 million in grant awards to conduct rigorous research focused on closing gaps in access to mortgage financing and homeownership faced by…

ABA: Eight Banks Win 2023 Community Commitment Awards

The American Bankers Association Foundation today named eight banks as 2023 Community Commitment Award winners. The annual awards recognize banks for extraordinary corporate social responsibility efforts in seven specific categories ranging from affordable housing to economic inclusion. The winners will be recognized at ABA’s Annual Convention in Nashville, Tenn. on Oct. 10. The selection committee, made up of…

HUD: $25 Million Loan Guarantee Announced for Birmingham, AL Loan for Black, Indigenous, People of Color Fund

Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the City of Birmingham, Alabama a $25.2 million loan fund under its loan guarantee program for the Community Development Block Grant Program, Section 108. The City of Birmingham plans to use these funds to establish a $25 million citywide Loan Pool to provide financing…

SBA: Data Shows Major Increase in Loans to Black-Owned Businesses Since 2020

The number and share of SBA-backed 7(a) and 504 loans going to Black-Owned businesses more than doubled since 2020 Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), joined Congressman Steven Horsford at the 2023 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference today to announce new data showing the rate of SBA-backed loans going to Black-owned businesses…

SBA: Small Business Loan Program Improvements Launched to Expand Access to Capital

Lending program improvements expand access to capital for small businesses and increases protection against fraud On August 1, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) began implementing additional policies aimed at expanding small business access to capital by modernizing SBA’s signature 7(a) and 504 Loan Programs. Today’s loan program updates build on Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman’s previous announcements that address…

HUD: Initial Recipients for Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Announced

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is pleased to announce initial recipients of technical assistance offered through its Thriving Communities Technical Assistance (TCTA) program: Syracuse, NY; Rockford, IL; Redmond, WA; and Sun Prairie, WI. TCTA is designed to help local governments ensure housing needs are addressed as part of their infrastructure investment…

HUD: First-of-its-Kind Housing Counseling Advisory Committee Meeting Announced at Japanese American National Museum

Committee meeting in Los Angeles will focus on strategies for reaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Households The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Housing Counseling is hosting its next Housing Counseling Federal Advisory Committee (HCFAC) meeting at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, CA on Thursday,…

HUD: African American CEO Roundtable Discussion Convened with Leaders from the Nation’s Leading Organizations

With a mission to close the racial wealth gap and increase access to homeownership, African American industry leaders answered Secretary Fudge’s call to action. In honor of National Homeownership Month, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia L. Fudge met with prominent African American Leaders from across the country to discuss closing…