Community Affairs

Community Affairs supports the OCC's mission to ensure a vibrant banking system by helping national banks and federal savings associations to be leaders in providing safe and sound community development financing and making financial services accessible to underserved communities and consumers, while treating their customers fairly.

Community Affairs conducts outreach and develops publications to support this goal, in addition to

administering the national bank public welfare investment authority (12 CFR 24) and the comparable authority for federal savings associations.
providing community development training and technical assistance to OCC examiners and supervised banks, community organizations and leaders, and other stakeholders.
offering customized consultations to help banks identify community development finance opportunities and resources.
facilitating communication among lenders, community groups, and government officials through workshops and conferences.
publishing community development information on best practices and investment opportunities.
compiling Resource Directories on a range of community development topics.

Learn how to contact a Community Affairs Officer.

Featured Publications

Historic Tax Credits: Bringing New Life to Older Communities

The Historic Tax Credit (HTC) is an important tool in revitalizing Main Street and expanding the supply of affordable housing. This Insights report describes how the HTC program works, including alternative transaction structures, and outlines key regulatory considerations for banks participating in the program.

Leveraging Earned Income Tax Credits to Reach New Bank Customers

This Community Developments Fact Sheet describes the earned income tax credit (EITC) and provides examples of what national bank and federal savings associations (collectively, banks) can do to promote EITC awareness. Some of the EITC-related bank activities, may be eligible to receive Community Reinvestment Act consideration.

Financial Literacy Update: First Quarter 2025

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's (OCC) Financial Literacy Update is a quarterly e-newsletter that reports upcoming events, new initiatives, and related resources of the OCC and other government agencies and organizations.

FHLB Government Mortgage-Backed Security Program: Facilitating Secondary Market Access

This Community Developments Fact Sheet summarizes key facts of the Federal Home Loan Bank Government Mortgage-Backed Security (MBS) Program. This fact sheet explains how banks that originate mortgages on a smaller scale can obtain the liquidity, a reliable secondary market conduit, and operational support that come from a Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) MBS.

Public Welfare Investments for Federal Savings Associations

This Community Developments Fact Sheet explains public welfare investment authorities for federal savings associations (FSA). In addition to their general lending and investment authorities, FSAs may make community development loans, equity investments in real estate to further community development, investments in service corporations, and other community development investments of the type permitted for a national bank under 12 CFR 24.