Community Development

The Community Development Studies & Education Department supports the Federal Reserve System’s economic growth objectives by promoting community development in low- and moderate-income communities and fair and impartial access to credit in underserved markets. The department works closely with financial institutions, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies on public-private partnerships that result in increased affordable housing and community and economic development. The department assists financial institutions to understand their responsibilities under the federal Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).

To learn more about community development at the Philadelphia Fed, watch this
video .

Upcoming Events

Investing in America’s Workforce: Improving Outcomes for Workers and Employers
October 4-6, 2017
Austin, TX
Learn more and register here.

Data Tools & Other Resources

Home Mortgage Explorer: The Federal Reserve Banks of Philadelphia and Cleveland have released the new Home Mortgage Explorer. The data tool allows users to explore trends in mortgage lending between 2010 and 2015 for the U.S. as a whole, states, and metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.

Rental Housing Affordability: This interactive tool enables users to examine trends in rental housing affordability in Third District states from 2005 to 2014.

Consumer Credit Explorer (CCE): This interactive tool enables users to look at quarterly changes in credit use indicators from 2005 to 2015 and to compare indicators across different areas.

Community Profiles

View historical information, maps, and demographic, economic, and lending data for metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) or portions of MSAs in the Third Federal Reserve District.

Updated information in the demographic and economic data section of each profile.

Consumer Resources

Find publications on credit-related topics.

Homeownership Counseling Study

The Effectiveness of Pre-Purchase Homeownership Counseling and Financial Management Skills

Publications & Videos

Second Quarter 2017 Community Outlook Survey: This quarter’s survey identifies the most pressing challenges in Workforce and Economic Development.

“Don't Know What You Got Till It’s Gone” — The Effects of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) on Mortgage Lending in the Philadelphia Market: This study provides novel evidence on the effects of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) on the mortgage market in the aftermath of the Great Recession.

A Practitioner’s Summary: The Effects of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) on Mortgage Lending in the Philadelphia Market: This report summarizes major findings from the discussion paper “Don't Know What You Got Till It’s Gone” — The Effects of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) on Mortgage Lending in the Philadelphia Market for a community development practitioner audience.

Apprenticeship Guide: This guide explains how apprenticeships work; discusses trends, successes, and challenges in U.S. apprenticeships; provides case studies of five long-term apprenticeship programs; profiles new and noteworthy programs; and includes contacts and resources.

Navigating the First Semester: How Students Get to and Get by in College: This report presents findings from interviews conducted with Rutgers–Camden students to explore the impacts of a new financial aid program on students’ college application process, transition to college, and financial wellbeing.

Browse conference summaries, Special Reports, Discussion Papers, and Cascade.

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E-Mail Notification

Find out when information for community development publications and events is released.

Contact Us

Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
Community Development Studies & Education Department
Ten Independence Mall
Philadelphia, PA 19106-1574

(215) 574-6037 – phone
(215) 574-2512 – fax

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