Last week the bell rang to start Round Two in American's fight to keep banks honest/ for banks to clean up their mess. Sponsored by the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Comptroller of the Currency July 19th was the first of a series of four public hearings on how to improve our community investment regulations. National People’s Action members from around the region flew in to sound the call for critical community investment.

WASHINGTON—The head of a nonprofit group that is working to rebuild Buffalo’s older housing told federal officials Monday that they should look to New York to see how to improve a federal law forcing lenders to invest in low-income communities.

Aaron Bartley, who directs People United for Sustainable Housing, said at a hearing held by three agencies that Green Jobs/Green NY can be a national model. The state program creates a revolving loan pool that low-and moderate-income homeowners can access to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

On Tuesday, March 9th, Jennifer Mecozzi , Chair of PUSH Buffalo, will meet with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke as part of a national delegation of citizens seeking to protect consumers and investors from predatory and speculative financial products like the ones that crashed the national economy. The delegation will also stress the need to stimulate lending in the form of quality credit to low and moderate income Americans.

Jennifer is joining representatives of National People's Action, a national network of groups like PUSH Buffalo...

Nearly 200 community residents attended New York's Community Meeting with the Federal Reserve, calling on the Fed to fulfill its mission and protect homeowners against unruly financial institutions who have systematically pushed their communities to the brink of disaster.

Flyer from the Buffalo, NY Community Meeting with the Federal Reserve.

October 25-27, 2009 - In the largest mobilization since the economic crisis began, more than 8,000 taxpayers from 20 states came together for three days of action on big banks Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and their top lobbying arm, the American Bankers Association (ABA).

Zoraida Rodriguez, 10 of Buffalo, NY holds a sign outside of a bus that reads "What Side Are You On???" as it pulls up to Goldman Sachs Chicago Headquarters on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009. This was the second day of protest for a threeday event titled, "Showdown in Chicago" Activists, union members, farmers, etc. descended on the city of Chicago to protest The American Bankers Association's annual meeting. (Photo © 2009 Heather Stone)

Consumer advocates nationwide are calling on lawmakers and regulators, especially the Federal Reserve, to strengthen a pair of decades-old laws governing lending in low-income and minority communities.