Native American Housing: CRA and Fair Lending

Almost every state in the United States has at least one Indian Reservation. And most states have a population of urban Native Americans in their larger cities. With the Department of Justice placing the civil rights of Native Americans high on the priority list, banks should look carefully at their market areas and evaluate opportunities and need for credit programs targeted to the needs and interests of Native Americans.

Your regulators stand ready to help you with this effort. In June of this year, the OCC, FDIC, FNMA, and the Federal reserve Bank of San Francisco co-sponsored a program on "Sovereign Lending" with the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, ONABEN -- a Native American Business Network, and First Nations Development Institute. That program centered on ways to create community development opportunities for tribal members and lenders.

On August 4-5, 1998, The OTS and the State of New Mexico Office of Indian Affairs will co-sponsor the 1998 Native American Housing Conference. In addition to political pep talks, the conference will look closely at economic and legal aspects of lending on tribal lands, and federal and state programs that can support community development. This conference will take place in Albuquerque, NM and include a visit to the Santo Domingo Pueblo to see that Pueblo's annual Corn Dance, a traditional festival and dance that you will never forget. (Tip: a memorable feature of this festival are the stands of foods prepared by Pueblo women and offered for sale to tourists - and, presumably, bankers.) If you go to this conference, take your camera, a note pad, sunscreen, and a mind eager to learn.

Copyright © 1998 Compliance Action. Originally appeared in Compliance Action, Vol. 3, No. 10, 7/98