Views

Analysis and points of view on research, trends, issues, ideas and opportunities.

“A tool for every type of need”: Capital for Change unlocks community development funds for Connecticut’s disadvantaged communities

By / / Field Notes, Views / 3 minutes of reading

The legacy of redlining in the US has left some communities at a considerable economic disadvantage, resulting in challenges that can only be addressed by strategically deploying accessible capital. However, many banks avoid lending in these communities, further exacerbating their shortage of quality and affordable housing.  Capital for Change was born from a need to […]

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Affordable Housing Centers of Pennsylvania Helps Homeowners Protect Their Investment Across Generations

By / / Field Notes, Views / 3 minutes of reading

For the past 17 years, the Affordable Housing Centers of Pennsylvania (AHCOPA) has provided a range of programs designed to build wealth within low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities. AHCOPA provides services to approximately 3,000 people each year via their pre-purchase, post-purchase and mortgage prevention counseling programs. When Kenneth Bigos joined AHCOPA as their Executive Director

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Is an Economic Turnaround on the Horizon? February’s Race, Jobs and the Economy Recap

By / / Research, Views / 3 minutes of reading

It’s hard to overstate how much of a surprise the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ January jobs report was with 130,000 jobs being added and an unemployment rate that declined a tenth of a percent to 4.3%. This was the first jobs report that resoundingly exceeded consensus expectations since 2024. The diffusion rate – a measure

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First Community Capital Helps Overlooked Entrepreneurs Become Bankable Business Owners

By / / Field Notes, Views / 3 minutes of reading

Traditional banks often use the term “unbankable” for entrepreneurs they deem too small, too new or too financially risky. First Community Capital (FCC), a Riverside, California-based community development financial institution (CDFI), has spent six years challenging that label. FCC has deployed over $5 million to more than 200 entrepreneurs, many of whom are Black and

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Mobility Monitor: Husted Introduces Upward Mobility Act, Universal Childcare in NYC and Big Changes to SNAP Coming Soon

By / / Views / 5 minutes of reading

Congress Tackles the Benefits Cliff Senator John Husted (R-OH) recently introduced the Upward Mobility Act, which proposes pilot projects that would allow five states to combine funding streams for anti-poverty programs to help eliminate benefits cliffs. The legislation takes aim at a major flaw in the current design of the social safety net that disincentivizes

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The Importance of Applying Anti-Redlining Laws to Property Insurance To Fix the Affordability Crisis

By / / Policy, Views / 7 minutes of reading

The anti-redlining movement took shape in the 1970s as a response to long-standing obstacles that made it difficult for all communities to prosper. Financial companies engaged in redlining by mapping out neighborhoods they refused to serve. Loans to people of color were denied at higher rates, or originated at higher costs, to the borrower. Blind

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FY 2026 Budget Deal: Final Funding for HUD, CDFI, SBA – and What’s Next for DHS

By / / Policy, Views / 3 minutes of reading

On February 3, President Trump signed H.R.7148 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 into law, which will fund most of the federal government until September 30. The package included five of the six remaining appropriations bills and corresponding earmarks that Congress had not yet passed:   Financial Services and General Government  State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs  Defense  Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies  Transportation,

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The Local Costs of the AI Boom: Ensuring Data Centers Deliver Community Benefits In The Midst of Hypergrowth

By / / Research, Views / 16 minutes of reading

In December of last year, Senator Bernie Sanders called for a national moratorium on the construction of data centers “that are powering the unregulated sprint to develop & deploy AI.” Sanders’ stand follows bipartisan backlash resisting proposals to construct data centers in communities across the country. Recent reporting from Data Center Watch shows an estimated

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In a New Year, Old Uncertainties Remain: January 2026’s Race, Jobs and the Economy Recap

By / / Research, Views / 4 minutes of reading

2025 was a year of slowing job gains, a bifurcated consumer economy and trade war uncertainties. These negative trends will likely continue and intensify in 2026. The last jobs report for the year produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics only further confirms the anemic nature of the jobs market. The economy added a modest

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“Neighborhoods have a say”: Working In Neighborhoods works to create economic opportunity for all in Cincinnati

By / / Field Notes, Views / 3 minutes of reading

Attracting new investments in lower-income neighborhoods can feel like a Sisyphean challenge for many communities. But, there is a group that seems to have found a magic formula for combining the best efforts of community leaders, elected officials and policy professionals to create lasting change.  Working in Neighborhoods (WIN) was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio in

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Unlocking Wealth on Trust Land: NCRC Member Helps Tribal Families Gain New Paths to Homeownership

By / / Field Notes, Views / 3 minutes of reading

Homeownership isn’t just part of the American dream – it’s a critical tool for building wealth and financial security. Because unique federal rules and regulations make it harder for tribal communities to achieve homeownership, the Tribal Homeownership Coalition of the Southwest (THOCSW) is working to bridge that gap. Founded in 1999 and serving Native communities

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Investing in Housing Counselors: Safeguarding a Critical Resource for Family Housing Stability

By / / NCRC Programs, Views / 3 minutes of reading

As financial pressures mount for American families, one of their most trusted allies is quietly being pushed to the brink: housing counselors. Last year’s 43-day government shutdown, coupled with the threat of another in January, has delayed HUD’s annual Housing Counseling funding application. These delays don’t exist in a vacuum, exacerbating hardships for low- and moderate-income families already struggling to afford rent and

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After the Shutdown: What We Learned about SNAP’s Vulnerabilities

By / / Policy, Views / 5 minutes of reading

The federal government shutdown that began on October 1 created immediate uncertainty for millions of households that rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Although the shutdown has ended, the disruption revealed how fragile our nation’s food assistance infrastructure really is.  A single lapse in federal funding brought SNAP to the brink of severe

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How CASA of Oregon Is Rewriting the Rules of Affordable Housing for Farmworkers and Their Families

By / / Field Notes, Views / 3 minutes of reading

For 37 years, CASA of Oregon has been helping turn marginalized farmworker families into financially empowered landowners. Founded in 1988, CASA of Oregon began as a development consultant agency working with other nonprofits and housing authorities creating affordable housing for farmworkers and their families across Oregon. The organization now operates four interconnected programs, including affordable

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