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Mar 28, 2023

Keeping Up with Rent: Recent Rent Hikes and Their Impact on Affordability Standards

Rents increased significantly across the nation in 2021 and ‘22, outpacing HUD’s Fair Market Rent estimates. This Partners Update analyzes the effects of updated methodology on a key resource for understanding the cost of rental housing.

Jan 17, 2023

Climate-Related Risks and Disasters: Implications for Financial Stability and Inclusion

Climate-related risks and disasters are risks to human and natural systems that may lead to more severe and frequent shocks or stressors. In this Partners Update article, our Community and Economic Development team considers the implications of climate-related risks and disasters for southeastern states.

Sep 02, 2022

Emergency Rental Assistance Insights from the Southeast

Emergency Rental Assistance programs helped struggling renters during the pandemic. Community and Economic Development staff spoke with southeastern affordable rental housing stakeholders to understand local and state implementation of these programs. Learn more in Partners Update.

Jul 29, 2022

CDFIs Expand Access to Workforce Development Training

The workforce development sector needs new ways to finance education and training at every level. Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) can play an important role. This Partners Update article summarizes a recent paper that explores partnerships with CDFIs in the workforce development system.

Jul 14, 2022

Household Financial Well-Being in the Southeast

A healthy economy is one that offers economic mobility and resilience to everyone. Read Partners Update for a discussion of two webinars in the Atlanta Fed’s Inclusive and Resilient Recovery series that looked at the financial health of households.

Oct 21, 2021

Guaranteed Income (GI) Dashboard: Visualizing Public Benefits Loss for Participants in GI Pilot Programs

The Atlanta Fed developed the Guaranteed Income Dashboard tool as part of our Advancing Careers initiative. Partners Update discusses the tool and how practitioners, policymakers, and GI recipients are using it in GI pilot programs across the country.

Oct 18, 2021

Southeastern Rental Affordability Tracker

The tool demonstrates the abundance of southeastern renter households that pay more than 30 percent or 50 percent of their income on housing. A new feature shows the share of cost-burdened renters by race or ethnicity or by age.

Aug 24, 2021

Policy Rules Database: Visualizing the US Social Safety Net

The Atlanta Fed and the National Center for Children in Poverty have developed the Policy Rules Database to provide clarity on the complexity of the US social safety net. Partners Update provides an overview of the database and visualization tool.

Jul 15, 2021

Inclusive and Resilient Recovery: Career Pathways to Household Financial Well-Being - July 15, 2021

Atlanta Fed Community and Economic Development staff members and guests discuss how career advancement is tied to household financial well-being. They also consider the systemic barriers that pose challenges to economic self-sufficiency.

Jun 21, 2021

What Can Be Done about the Childcare Benefits Cliff? A Case Study in Florida

Partners Update summarizes a recent discussion paper that looks at the benefits cliffs associated with childcare, using two contrasting Florida counties as examples.

Jun 18, 2021

Restructuring the Eligibility Policies of the Child Care and Development Fund to Address Benefits Cliffs and Affordability

This paper explores how the current eligibility policies of the federal Child Care and Development Fund create benefits cliffs and affordability challenges that act as barriers to economic self-sufficiency.

Jun 03, 2021

Special Briefing: Despite CDC Moratorium, Atlanta-Area Eviction Filings Hit Low-Income, Minority Neighborhoods Adobe PDF file format

This paper examines eviction filings that occurred during the pandemic in the Atlanta metro area. The authors find that a neighborhood’s racial composition and median income serve as strong indicators of pandemic eviction filings.

May 13, 2021

Inclusive and Resilient Recovery: Household Financial Well-Being in the Southeast - May 13, 2021

Atlanta Fed Community and Economic Development staff and guest speakers provide a framework for financial well-being and its relationship to an inclusive and resilient recovery for the whole economy.

Mar 24, 2021

Tackling an Inclusive and Resilient Recovery in the Southeast

The Atlanta Fed’s Community and Economic Development engagement team launched the Inclusive and Resilient Recovery initiative to support strategies for a more inclusive and resilient economic recovery. Partners Update reflects on the ongoing webinar series and the goals of this initiative.

Feb 10, 2021

Financial Resilience Challenges during the Pandemic

The history of discriminatory policies leaves many Black and Hispanic people less resilient in the face of the economic shock caused by the pandemic. Partners Update examines this history's connections to household financial resilience.

Dec 30, 2020

Tackling Racial Equity through Community Development

Focusing on the role structural racism plays in our economy and society, the Federal Reserve Banks of Atlanta, Boston, and Minneapolis launched the Racism and the Economy series. Partners Update reflects on emerging lessons from the series and what it means to use data and expertise to inform policymakers.

Oct 22, 2020

Inclusive and Resilient Recovery: Virtual Roundtable on Inclusive and Equitable Community Development Recovery Strategies for Practitioners - October 22, 2020

In the webinar, Atlanta Fed staff discussed their research and demonstrated the Bank's housing-related data tools. City officials from Birmingham and New Orleans spoke about local programs created in response to the COVID-19 recession and how they are working toward an inclusive and equitable recovery in their communities.

Oct 07, 2020

Expansion of New Law in Southeast May Stave Off Black Land Loss

Heirs’ property can result when a property owner dies without a legally recognized estate plan in place. This form of ownership disproportionately affects lower-wealth African Americans. Partners Update examines some recent legislation on heirs’ property in the Southeast.

Jul 13, 2020

Perspectives from Main Street on COVID-19

A new Federal Reserve System report spotlights the impact of COVID-19 on low- to moderate-income communities. This report examines the findings of a nationwide survey of over 1,800 respondents representing nonprofits, financial institutions, government agencies, and community organizations. Read Partners Update to learn more.

Jun 16, 2020

Housing Policy Impact: Federal Eviction Protection Coverage and the Need for Better Data

COVID-19 exacerbates an existing affordable housing shortage in the Southeast, which lacked over a million affordable rental units before the virus outbreak began. Partners Update explores efforts to enact eviction moratoriums under the CARES Act.

Apr 14, 2020

Tackling the Unknown Together: Community Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Our community and economic development team conducted a virtual listening tour to collect real-time economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 public health crisis in low- and moderate-income communities and the organizations that serve them. Read Partners Update for a discussion of the findings.

Dec 23, 2019

Anchor Institution Strategies in the Southeast: Working with Hospitals and Universities to Support Inclusive Growth

Anchor institutions such as universities and hospitals can help drive inclusive economic development in their communities. The author examines efforts to launch anchor institution strategies in New Orleans, Atlanta, and the Miami area.

Nov 20, 2019

Report on Heirs' Property Highlights Challenges and Interventions for Communities

Heirs' property is land inherited by the descendants of a previous owner, often one who did not leave a will. Partners Update discusses a comprehensive report on the issues facing these property owners, including the inability to transfer wealth to future generations.

Jul 24, 2019

Raphael Bostic Publishes Housing Research

The Atlanta Fed president has coauthored a paper that examines Low-Income Housing Tax Credit housing in Chicago and the potential to create inclusive communities. This Partners Update article summarizes the paper's findings.

Nov 16, 2018

Event: Fair Housing: A Look Back and Forward at Racial Equity in Atlanta (and the Southeast)

The event recognized the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, discussed its legacy, and explored solutions to racial equity challenges that persist. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Community and Economic Development group, Georgia ACT, Georgia State University's Urban Studies Institute, National Fair Housing Alliance, Metro Fair Housing Services Inc., and Atlanta Legal Aid Society cohosted the event in Atlanta.

Jul 19, 2018

Rental Housing Affordability in the Southeast: Data from the Sixth District

The authors analyze data on housing costs and supply by household income level. They demonstrate the widespread shortage of housing that is affordable for low-income renters in large metros, small towns, suburbs, and nonmetro areas throughout the Southeast.

Apr 12, 2018

Event: Growing Regional Food System Opportunity: Capital and Beyond

The event examined health, equity, and the economic impact of community food production. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Community and Economic Development group, Hope Credit Union Enterprise Corporation, Self-Help Credit Union, and Food Well Alliance cohosted the event in Atlanta.

Dec 06, 2017

Bridging the Health-Community Development Divide

Community development and health professionals often work with the same residents in separate silos, but that is beginning to change. Partners Update previews a paper on emerging health-community development partnerships in the Southeast.

Dec 04, 2017

Can Community Development Improve Health? Emerging Opportunities for Collaboration between the Health and Community Development Sectors

Health and community development professionals are learning to collaborate to address the social determinants of health. The author investigates promising partnerships in the Southeast in this first of a two-part series.

Nov 06, 2017

Event: Advancing Health and Community Development Partnerships

The event explored how health and community development professionals are learning to collaborate. Participants represented a variety of sectors, including health care, public health, community development, housing, government, and research. The Build Healthy Places Network, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and the Georgia Health Policy Center cohosted the event, which was held in Atlanta during the national American Public Health Association Conference.

Oct 13, 2017

Tracking Informal Mortgages on Rental Properties

Partners Update analyzes real estate transaction data to understand trends in multifamily informal mortgages and the market conditions in which they are likely to occur.

Sep 22, 2017

Event: How to Increase the Production of Mixed-Income Development

This event provided information from a recent Federal Reserve paper on reducing barriers to mixed-income housing development, engaged in a discussion on what strategies work best for the Nashville region and how to better align resources to meet local needs, and advanced the "Housing Nashville" report initiative. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and the Nashville Mayor's Office hosted the event.

Jul 06, 2017

Special Edition Podcast: Heirs' Property

When grandma dies without a will, property is passed on to her children, and then to each successive generation. Listen to experts discuss the complications of heirs property in a special edition episode of the Economy Matters podcast. podcast

Jun 15, 2017

Event: Heirs' Property in the South: Fostering Stable Ownership to Prevent Land Loss and Abandonment

Heirs' property is formed when a landowner dies without a will or with a simple will that divides real estate assets equally among the descendants. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and the U.S. Forest Service's Southern Research Station hosted a gathering on heirs' property research and outreach in the southern United States, bringing together researchers, policy professionals, and practitioners. The meeting focused on challenges, opportunities, and other timely topics affecting heirs' property.

Jun 14, 2017

Informal Homeownership Issues: Tracking Contract for Deed Sales in the Southeast

The authors investigate the extent of seller-financed installment contracts for homes in four southeastern cities and the risks and opportunities they may pose for buyers.

Jun 12, 2017

What Makes a Healthy Neighborhood?

Tune in to the season finale of the Access podcast to explore the intersection of health and economic development. Read Partners Update for more details.

Jun 07, 2017

Developing Inclusive Communities: Challenges and Opportunities for Mixed-Income Housing

The authors conducted interviews with housing stakeholders in Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Nashville for their ideas on increasing the production of mixed-income housing in an environment of declining federal funding.

Apr 28, 2017

Register for Policy Summit on Housing, Human Capital, and Inequality

The Cleveland Fed's 2017 summit looks at transforming regional economies. Register for the June 22-23 event in Partners Update.

Apr 28, 2017

Webinar on Preserving Affordable Rural Rental Housing

Financing affordable housing is a growing challenge in the Southeast. Partners Update discusses the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program that supports construction and rehab of affordable housing.

Apr 25, 2017

Financing Affordable Housing with the LIHTC

Financing affordable housing is a growing challenge in the Southeast. Partners Update discusses the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program that supports construction and rehab of affordable housing.

Mar 14, 2017

Event: Catalyzing Efforts to Improve the Health and Well-Being of All Georgians

The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and Georgia State University Health Policy Center cohosted a meeting on the social determinants of health in Georgia and concrete, actionable steps to address them. The meeting brought together a cross-sectoral group of leaders representing health care, community development, government, academia, and philanthropy.

Feb 16, 2017

Housing Instability: Single-Family Evictions in One Atlanta Metro County

A recent discussion paper examines housing instability and the rise of institutional investors in Fulton County's single-family rental housing. Partners Update discusses the findings and implications for communities and families.

Feb 14, 2017

Economic Mobility: Research & Ideas on Strengthening Families, Communities & the EconomyOff-site link

This Board of Governors and Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis publication includes selected papers that were presented at the ninth biennial Federal Reserve System's Community Development Research Conference. The essays explore a range of issues and concepts central to understanding how—and how well—people are able to move economically.

Feb 14, 2017

An Introduction to CRA YouTubeOff-site link

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) encourages banks to help meet the credit needs of the communities they are chartered to serve, including the low- and moderate-income neighborhoods in those areas. This video explores the CRA's provisions and how regulators evaluate a bank's CRA performance.

Feb 06, 2017

Exploring Atlanta's Community Development Landscape with Governor Lael Brainard

Fed Governor Brainard visited Atlanta neighborhoods with community and economic development and supervision and regulation team members. They met with community members and organizations to discuss local efforts, reports Partners Update.

Jan 27, 2017

Small Bank and Intermediate Small Bank CRA Examination YouTubeOff-site link

This video explains how small banks and intermediate small banks are examined under the Community Reinvestment Act.

Jan 01, 2017

Fed CommunitiesOff-site link

An online portal provides hundreds of community development resources from all 12 Federal Reserve Banks and the Board of Governors.

Dec 21, 2016

Corporate Landlords, Institutional Investors, and Displacement: Eviction Rates in Single-Family Rentals

Institutional investors purchased thousands of homes across the country to rent them after the real estate and financial crisis. The authors examine how the rise of the large corporate landlord in the single-family rental market affected housing stability in Atlanta.

Nov 28, 2016

Exploring Economic Trends in the Southeast

U.S. household incomes are climbing, but have southeastern states kept up with the national trend? This Partners Update article probes recent census data on household incomes to find out.

Aug 24, 2016

Concentrated Poverty in the Southeast: A Tale of Two Regions

How have patterns of concentrated poverty changed in the Southeast since the Great Recession? Partners Update previews a student paper on the topic.

Aug 24, 2016

Exploring Concentrated Poverty in the Southeast

Concentrated poverty—the proportion of the poor living in high-poverty neighborhoods—is a serious problem. A recent Community and Economic Development student paper found U.S. concentrated poverty increased significantly since the year 2000. The author examines whether concentrated poverty in the Southeast has followed a similar trajectory.

Jul 05, 2016

Research Symposium on Gentrification and Neighborhood Change

The Philadelphia Fed event looked at the causes and consequences of gentrification and approaches to moving toward equitable development. This Partners Update article summarizes the symposium's research and discussions.

May 10, 2016

Declines in Low-Cost Rented Housing Units in Eight Large Southeastern Cities

Renters in many metro areas, especially those with modest incomes, increasingly struggle to find affordable housing. The authors investigate the landscape of low-cost rented housing units and spatial patterns of change in eight cities in the Southeast.

Apr 19, 2016

Understanding Heirs' Properties in the Southeast

Heirs' properties are parcels of land inherited by descendants of a previous owner who did not leave a will. This type of ownership is widespread in the Southeast and disproportionately found in low-income ethnic and racial minority families. Partners Update examines the social and economic issues associated with these properties.

Apr 07, 2016

Putting a Human Face on Eviction

What's behind the increasing rate of tenant evictions across the country? Harvard's Matthew Desmond, author of Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, discussed the lack of affordable housing and shared haunting personal stories from his book at a recent Atlanta Fed event. Learn more in Partners Update.

Mar 17, 2016

Data Tools for Dynamic Communities

Mapping and data visualization tools can have significant applications in the community and economic development field. This Partners Update article examines two tools that help evaluate housing and transportation costs.

Mar 10, 2016

Negative Equity in the Sixth Federal Reserve District

Some cities have not recovered from the subprime and foreclosure crises, and negative equity—when a house is worth less than outstanding mortgage debt—remains a persistent problem. The author analyzes the characteristics of Southeast neighborhoods that continue to have negative equity.

Jan 04, 2016

Offsetting Gentrification and Fostering Inclusive Transit-Oriented Development

The Atlanta Fed cohosted a recent symposium to examine strategies that would promote equitable transit-oriented development without gentrifying a neighborhood and displacing residents. Partners Update takes you inside the discussions.

Jan 01, 2016

Grow Your Own: Entrepreneurship-Based Economic Development for Local Communities Adobe PDF file formatOff-site link

The purpose of this ebook is to present an emerging model of economic development that focuses on using entrepreneurship and small business development as the primary tool to create community economic growth.

Dec 21, 2015

From Blight to Beautification: Jacksonville's Clean, Green Initiative

The city has taken a fresh approach to address neighborhood blight, according to Partners Update. This final article in our blight reduction series looks at Jacksonville's community cleanup and beautification initiative.

Dec 15, 2015

RISE Up: Birmingham Battles Blight

Through its RISE initiative—which stands for Remove blight, Increase value, Strengthen neighborhoods, and Empower residents—Birmingham is using its land bank authority to help clear tax delinquent properties and encourage investment. This second Partners Update article in a series explores that effort.

Dec 09, 2015

Community Prosecution: A Strategy to Tackle Blight with Communities

Community prosecution is one method to mitigate crime in a community through a proactive and decentralized approach to problem solving. This first Partners Update article in a series looks at how the city of Dallas is using community prosecution to reduce blight in target neighborhoods.

Dec 08, 2015

What It's Worth: Strengthening the Financial Future of Families, Communities and the NationOff-site link

Published by the San Francisco Fed in partnership with CFED, What It's Worth provides a 360-degree view of the financial problems and challenges millions of American households face. The book highlights the enormous creativity and innovation underway to improve financial well-being and provides concrete ways that nearly all sectors of society can implement proven and evolving solutions.

Dec 01, 2015

Blight Remediation in the Southeast: Local Approaches to Design and Implementation

Blight—or the proliferation of vacant, abandoned, or poorly maintained properties—is a critical issue that cities must address. The authors analyze New Orleans and Macon, which are committed to blight remediation and could become models for other cities to emulate.

Nov 16, 2015

Event: Community Forum on Healthy Food Access

A discussion about local initiatives to improve healthy food access in the Atlanta area and innovative cross-sector partnerships to address food insecurity, create jobs, and revitalize communities. The Atlanta Fed, Bank of America Foundation, and Reinvestment Fund cohosted the event.

Nov 05, 2015

Citizen Engagement in Community Development

Some municipalities are using community development initiatives that capitalize on the strengths of the community and its residents to improve living conditions. But what motivates residents to engage with their local government in the first place? This Partners Update article investigates findings from an Atlanta example.

Sep 22, 2015

Event: Equitable Development Strategies for Neighborhoods

The forum explored conditions affecting neighborhood revitalization and equitable development in Atlanta, the challenges and opportunities that emerge when revitalizing a community, and the role anchor institutions, transportation, infrastructure, and schools play in this work. The Atlanta Fed, Enterprise Community Partners, NeighborWorks America, and local partners cohosted the event.

Jun 17, 2015

Event: Equitable Development Strategies for New Orleans Neighborhoods

The forum discussed best practices in designing and implementing local housing revitalization plans and explored the challenges of blight and affordable housing in New Orleans. The Atlanta Fed, Enterprise Community Partners, and NeighborWorks America cohosted the event.

May 13, 2015

Events: Equitable Development Strategies for Nashville Neighborhoods

The forum examined current conditions affecting equitable development and challenges that must be addressed to meet affordable housing needs in Nashville. The Atlanta Fed, Enterprise Community Partners, NeighborWorks America, and Vanderbilt University cohosted the event.

May 13, 2015

Nashville: Equitable Development Strategies for Neighborhoods - May 13, 2015

Affordable housing in Nashville is increasingly scarce. A recent study conducted by Vanderbilt University noted that a high number of cost-burdened households find it difficult to secure affordable housing near jobs and transportation. Public policy, community engagement, real estate development regulations, land use, and finance all play a role in addressing this challenge. Implementation of equitable development practices and policies can help address this problem and minimize displacement in Nashville's neighborhoods.

Mar 23, 2015

The Role of Place-Based Initiatives in Community Development

As the name says, these initiatives are designed to concentrate investments in a specific location, and some couple infrastructure and human capital investments. This Partners Update article summarizes place-based initiatives, describes challenges for communities incorporating such a strategy, and discusses best practices.

Mar 12, 2015

Health and Community Development: Some Perspectives and Resources

In terms of health, the Southeast tends to trail behind other parts of the country, though efforts are under way to address these persistent challenges. This Partners Update article looks at resources generated in our region and by our Fed colleagues connecting health and community development.

Jan 29, 2015

Resilience in Planning: A Review of Comprehensive Plans in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina

Gulf Coast communities that were hard hit by Hurricane Katrina have implemented various plans to rebuild their infrastructure. In a new paper, an Atlanta Fed analyst looks at four Mississippi communities’ comprehensive plans and analyzes and compares them.

Dec 04, 2014

What Counts: Harnessing Data for America's CommunitiesOff-site link

With 90 percent of the world's data generated in just the past two years, this book from the San Francisco Fed and the Urban Institute challenges policymakers, funders, and practitioners across sectors to seize this new opportunity to revolutionize our approaches to improve lives in low-income communities. It provides a road map for the strategic use of data to reduce poverty, improve health, expand access to quality education, increase employment, and build stronger and more resilient communities.

Nov 01, 2014

Community Development Data Guidebook Adobe PDF file formatOff-site link

The guidebook from the San Francisco Fed provides information on a variety of community development data resources, divided by topic area, along with a practical application of how to retrieve the data and suggestions on how to conduct appropriate analysis.

Sep 18, 2014

Inclusionary Housing Policies: A Promising Tool for Housing Affordability

The U.S. housing market has been on the mend since the recession ended, but increasing property values are leaving many families of modest means priced out of the market. This Partners Update article examines inclusionary housing policies as one possible solution.

May 08, 2014

Limiting Property Tax Assessments to Slow Gentrification

Though some cities plan to reduce or freeze property tax assessments for long-time homeowners, a recent Atlanta Fed blog suggests that property taxes are not a significant driver of neighborhood change. Partners Update takes a look at the issue.

Mar 11, 2014

UNITY Coalition Tackles Homelessness in New Orleans

Despite limited resources, UNITY of Greater New Orleans, a coalition of 60-plus local agencies, permanently housed over 500 chronically homeless people last year. Learn how the coalition achieved that success in a Partners Update article highlighting best practices in the Southeast.

Mar 01, 2014

Healthy Communities: A Framework for Meeting CRA Obligations Adobe PDF file formatOff-site link

This publication provides a road map of best practices in community development and a healthy communities framework that highlights the types of investments that are valuable both to financial institutions and their target communities. It also includes reference guides for ensuring planned CRA activities meet regulatory requirements and a template for how financial institutions can tell their CRA story.

Dec 02, 2013

Event: Rural Poverty Research Symposium

Economists, sociologists, and other researchers discussed papers and presentations on subjects ranging from human capital and education, racial and demographic aspects of rural poverty, where food stamp issuance increased most during the Great Recession, and current poverty measurements' shortcomings. The Atlanta Fed and U.S. Department of Agriculture cohosted the event.

Nov 29, 2013

Event: Opportunities and Challenges in Low- to Moderate-Income Communities: A Trialogue among Stakeholders

Lenders, regulators, and representatives of community-based nonprofit organizations met to discuss housing finance, general financial services, and small business lending, with a focus on low- to moderate-income households.

Sep 26, 2013

Event: The Future of Affordable Housing

Lawmakers have considered various housing reforms that could affect homeownership rates and rental markets over the near and long term. Two experts, Ron Terwilliger of the Urban Land Institute's Terwilliger Center for Housing, and Dan Immergluck, professor at Georgia Tech, discussed potential reforms.

Sep 25, 2013

Social Ties, Space, and Resilience: Literature Review of Community Resilience to Disasters and Constituent Social and Built Environment Factors

Communities have faced more frequent and severe natural disasters in recent decades. In a new paper, the author examines the literature to understand one particular aspect of resilience: how the built environment contributes to greater resilience by supporting and encouraging strong social networks.

Aug 26, 2013

Solving the Revitalization Puzzle? Putting the Pieces Together

Some economic development efforts have expanded beyond traditional strategies to address a more comprehensive set of issues, including neighborhood revitalization. Shirley Franklin, CEO of Purpose Built Communities and former Atlanta mayor, discusses an approach that encompasses many stakeholders and yields beneficial community results.

Jun 24, 2013

In the Neighborhood: Where Economic and Community Development Meet

Disinvested areas of cities must often combine community and economic development efforts to achieve the goals of both. Rick Sauer and Lynn Martin Haskin of the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations discuss how local institutions can support economic development at the neighborhood level.

Apr 11, 2013

Resilience and Rebuilding for Low-Income Communities: Research to Inform Policy and Practice

A diverse set of issues is shaping community development policy and practice. Nearly 350 participants explored research at the Fed's eighth biennial Community Development Research Conference. New ideas, approaches, and strategies for the community development industry and academic field were discussed.

Oct 24, 2012

Florida Leads Southeast in Population Growth

10/24/2012 - The Southeast population grew by 13 percent from 2000 to 2010, with urban centers garnering the lion's share. What do the changing demographics portend for the region's economy? An Atlanta Fed economist offers his perspective.

Jul 18, 2012

From Textiles to Turnaround: A Tale of Two Cities

Many cities have experienced the contraction of a once-dominant industry. The Richmond Fed's Kim Zeuli examines two North Carolina cities—Concord and Eden—that lost their textile employment base and learned to adapt to changing conditions.

Jun 29, 2012

FEMAs New Disaster Recovery Resource Offers Support in Community Rebuilding

Identifying disaster recovery resources and understanding how they can be knit together to fund community rebuilding can be a challenge. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has responded to this need by launching an online tool.

Jun 18, 2012

Community Reinvestment: Does Your Bank Measure Up?

This Atlanta Fed booklet describes how the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) affects the way banks and thrifts serve their communities' credit needs. It outlines factors that regulators use to rate a bank's CRA performance and tells where to find information on a bank's rating.

Jun 11, 2012

Housing Trends in Rural Areas

Rural communities have historically had high unemployment and poverty rates as well as substandard housing stock. Joseph Belden of the nonprofit Housing Assistance Council discusses housing challenges in rural areas and strategies to improve those conditions.

May 22, 2012

Why Did So Many People Make So Many Ex Post Bad Decisions? The Causes of the Foreclosure Crisis

An Atlanta Fed research paper suggests that prevailing optimism during the housing boom and the resulting decisions made by homeowners and financial institutions were primary causes of the foreclosure crisis. The paper examines what led to some of these decisions and how policymakers might respond in the future.

Apr 11, 2012

Shrinking Cities and Right Sizing in the Southeast

Some Southeastern cities have seen population declines in the last few decades. Communities facing these conditions may turn to strategies focused on "right sizing" or "smart decline," which emphasize improving the quality of life for current residents rather than attracting new ones.

Feb 29, 2012

Southeast Mortgage Performance Continued to Improve in the Fourth Quarter

In the Southeast, overall mortgage delinquency and foreclosure trends in the fourth quarter of 2011 improved year over year. However, only Georgia and Tennessee improved on a state level in every category, and Mississippi continues to struggle with mortgage delinquencies.

Feb 29, 2012

Harnessing Many Financing Sources to Benefit a Community

Two community development finance professionals discuss their strategies to support the expansion of a community health care center in a low-income neighborhood in New Orleans.

Feb 22, 2012

Event: The Great Immigration Turnaround: New Facts and Old Rhetoric

Take everything you know about immigration...and throw it out the window. Sounds drastic, but University of Southern California Professor Dowell Myers argues that most of our commonly held assumptions about immigration are wrong, and he'll tell you why.

Feb 03, 2012

Crowdsourcing for the Common Good: A Community Development Approach

Crowdsourcing—engaging web users in a particular project—may prove to be a valuable tool for decision making among government and nonprofit entities. A crowdsourcing technique that promotes engagement and creative problem solving can empower citizens and maximize benefits to a community.

Jan 01, 2012

Investing in What Works for America's Communities Adobe PDF file formatOff-site link

This compilation of essays published by the San Francisco Fed and the Low Income Investment Fund highlights entrepreneurial solutions for addressing poverty. Authors include leading experts from across the country in community and economic development, academia, government policy, health, and philanthropy.

Dec 22, 2011

Mortgage Performance Trends in the Southeast: Mixed Results for the Third Quarter

In the Southeast, seriously delinquent first mortgages are down slightly in the third quarter compared with the third quarter of 2010. However, foreclosure rates have seen a modest increase in that same time period, reflecting the national trend.

Dec 20, 2011

Negative Equity Impedes Real Estate Market Recovery

Over 10.7 million households owe more than their homes are worth as of the third quarter of 2011, according to Chief Economist Mark Fleming of CoreLogic. Negative equity can hinder homeowners' ability to sell their homes or, in some cases, to qualify for loan modification and refinancing programs.

Nov 09, 2011

Event: Small Business and Entrepreneurship during an Economic Recovery

Participants discussed issues facing small businesses and entrepreneurs in the current economic environment. The Atlanta Fed, Fed Board of Governors, and Kauffman Foundation cohosted the event.

Oct 31, 2011

Podcast Explores the State of Multifamily Real Estate

Ron Johnsey, president of Axiometrics, discusses the trends, challenges, and opportunities facing the apartment sector.

Oct 20, 2011

Land Banks: One Tool for Housing Market Recovery

Governor Elizabeth Duke discussed "lessons learned" from the financial crisis during a Federal Reserve Board forum on September 1. Duke also identified obstacles to the housing market recovery and explored possible solutions. One option, land banking, has a good track record in the Southeast.

Sep 08, 2011

Connecting CommunitiesOff-site link

Federal Reserve System webinar series provides a national audience with timely insights and information on emerging and important community and economic development topics.

Sep 01, 2011

Mortgage Performance Trends in the Southeast: A Reality Check

The most recent Mortgage Delinquency and Foreclosure Trends from the Atlanta Fed shows a slight decrease in the percentage of mortgages in foreclosure in the Southeast from December 2010 to June 2011. But there's an asterisk beside that news.

Aug 31, 2011

Harnessing the Power of Social Networks to Rebuild Communities

Following hurricanes Katrina and Rita, strong community ties played a critical role in the rebuilding process. A new book with content by Atlanta Fed staff explores the important role of social networks in the rebuilding of two Gulf Coast communities.

Jun 24, 2011

Presentations and Papers from Three Recent Conferences Online

The Atlanta Fed cosponsored conferences on green development and green finance, community development research, and increasing stability in unbanked and under-banked communities.

Jun 09, 2011

The Economics of Green Building

Small improvements in the "sustainability" of buildings can have large effects on greenhouse gas emissions and on energy efficiency in the economy. In today's commercial real estate market, does it also make business sense to invest in the energy efficiency or "sustainability" of buildings?

Mar 10, 2011

Strengthening the Green Foundation: Research and Policy Directions for Development and Finance | 11/09–10/2011

The conference investigated core issues surrounding green development and assessed the tools, challenges, and opportunities in financing this type of development. Tulane University's Master of Sustainable Real Estate Development program and the Atlanta Fed’s Center for Real Estate Analytics cohosted the event.

Dec 10, 2010

Healthy Businesses, Healthy Communities: Identifying and Responding to Local Small Business Challenges

Small businesses are recognized as job creation engines as well as contributors to the economic vibrancy of the neighborhoods where they are located. Dr. Lisa Servon, former dean of Milano the New School for Management and Urban Policy, discusses the effects of the economic downturn on small businesses and local communities and approaches to promoting economic development in a time of major financial constraints and challenges.

Nov 02, 2010

On the Rebound: How Resurgent Cities Generate Jobs and Investment

Older cities once focused on manufacturing have faced declining fortunes for some time. Even with the economic recession adding new pressures to economic development strategies, some of these cities have managed to reinvent themselves into vibrant job centers. Dr. Yolanda Kodrzycki of the New England Policy Center at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston discusses the lessons these resurgent cities have for other communities.

Sep 22, 2010

Three in One: Growing Jobs, Developing a Workforce, and Stabilizing Neighborhoods

Current economic conditions have inspired practitioners and policymakers to think more deliberately about the overlap between economic and community development. The combination of fewer local businesses, fewer jobs for residents, and increased foreclosure rates has hastened holistic, neighborhood-based approaches. Tony Cipollone, vice president for the Civic Sites and Initiatives of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, discusses how neighborhood-based economic and community development projects are working to create more vital and vibrant neighborhoods.

Apr 21, 2009

Intrametropolitan Patterns of Foreclosed Homes: ZIP-Code-Level Distributions of Real-Estate-Owned (REO) Properties during the U.S. Mortgage Crisis Adobe PDF file format

Real-estate-owned (REO) properties are usually vacant and, particularly when geographically concentrated, can have destabilizing effects on neighborhoods and communities. The author studies intrametro REO distributions across different metro areas during the mortgage crisis.

Dec 15, 2008

The Accumulation of Foreclosed Properties: Trajectories of Metropolitan REO Inventories during the 2007-2008 Mortgage Crisis Adobe PDF file format

What was the extent to which real-estate-owned (REO) properties accumulated in different housing markets during the mortgage crisis? The author examines characteristics of the inventory of REO properties in U.S. metro areas from 2006 to 2008.

Oct 10, 2008

Community Response to the Foreclosure Crisis: Thoughts on Local Interventions Adobe PDF file format

Mortgage regulation and foreclosure laws are generally under federal and state governance, but local governments and organizations responded to rising foreclosures in various ways. The author presents a range of responses to the foreclosure crisis that local organizations have used.

Sep 04, 2008

Community Reinvestment Act: Does Your Bank Measure Up?

As a financial consumer and a concerned citizen, you may be interested in how well your bank or savings and loan is helping meet the credit needs of your community, including low- and moderate-income areas. In fact, by law, the performance of every bank and thrift in meeting these needs is regularly evaluated and rated, and this rating is available to the public.