Broadband Under the Community Reinvestment Act

Just as broadband access plays a critical role in our lives, access to broadband has become critically essential in community development—education and workforce development, health, housing, small business development and access to financial services. The ability to access the internet is an important tool for workers to use to find and keep jobs in both urban and rural markets. Broadband access lags in many population segments, including low-income and rural communities.

Under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), infrastructure investment includes facilitating the construction, expansion, improvement, maintenance or operation of essential infrastructure or facilities for health services, education, public safety, public services, industrial parks or affordable housing. Broadband is included as a form of infrastructure investment—an essential community service.

This Connecting Communities webinar will highlight possible opportunities for financial institutions to receive CRA consideration and take advantage of new opportunities to help close the digital divide across communities and improve economic stability.

Speakers include:

• Jeanne Milliken Bonds, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
• Jordana Barton, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
• Adrian Franco, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
• Chelsea Cruz, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
• Yolanda Davila, BBVA Compass