About

The Buffalo Niagara Community Reinvestment Coalition is a group of 13 local organizations working to eliminate inequality and discriminatory practices within financial institutions of Western New York in order to create more economically stable and prosperous communities.

Who we are

We are 13 local nonprofit organizations with a history of helping the Buffalo-Niagara communities dating back to 1927.We are the faces of your friends and community members: organizing, advocating and listening to our community to make a difference in the city of good neighbors.

Where We Work

We work with communities in Niagara and Erie County with a focus on traditionally segregated or disinvested low to moderate income areas. Suburban, rural or urban, we work to bring responsible banking to all people in Western New York.

What We Do

Advocate

We advocate financial institutions to offer products and services accessible to all people, especially those in traditionally underserved areas. Using data and statistics, we urge banks to have a presence in banking deserts by stressing how important it is for individuals to have the ability to borrow money in order to build and maintain healthy communities.

Create

A Community Benefits Agreement, or “CBA,” is a type of contract signed by community groups such as ourselves and a financial institution, setting forth a range of community benefits and other mutually beneficial objectives that the bank agrees to provide to the community they serve. We advocate for, create and monitor these CBAs to ensure banks follow through with the promises they’ve made to the WNY community.

Research

We research and collect data surrounding issues of foreclosures, mortgage lending, financial literacy, small business lending and more in order to best inform both financial institutions and their regulators of areas banks need to improve upon in order to meet the needs of the communities they serve.

Monitor

We monitor any proposed changes to the Community Reinvestment Act, or “CRA,” a law which states banks must demonstrate they serve the convenience and needs of the communities they are located in. When proposed changes arise, the government takes into consideration the opinion of the people by requesting comment letters. We monitor proposed changes in order to best inform and advocate the community of changes to an influential law intended to protect the rights of all people.

Teach

We educate the community on the importance of the CRA, CBAs, financial literacy and the potential impact reinvestment may have in cultivating healthy communities. We want to inform WNY of the ways in which banks may be held accountable for not meeting their needs and

Organize

We organize and mobilize our communities and local organizations to be able to stand up for itself against large financial institutions. In addition, we listen to the needs and concerns of individuals and bring them to the attention of banks in an effort to help propose solutions to positively effect banking practices in WNY.

Meet Our Members

The Western New York Law Center (WNYLC) has represented low-income Western New Yorkers in civil matters for the last twenty years.

People United for Sustainable Housing-Buffalo (PUSH) is a community-based organization that mobilizes residents to create strong neighborhoods.

VOICE-Buffalo brings together congregations, unions, and community-based organizations to shape the political, economic, social and environmental decisions in Buffalo and Niagara Falls.

Housing Opportunities Made Equal is a civil rights organization whose mission is to ensure equal opportunity for all people to live in the housing and communities of their choice.

The Partnership for the Public Good is a community-based think tank that provides research and advocacy support to a broad range of partners.

The Coalition for Economic Justice unites labor, faith, community organizations and activists to engage in collective action to promote economic justice.

The Buffalo Urban League empowers disadvantaged populations of the Buffalo-Niagara region by encouraging individuals, supporting families and strengthening community.

Belmont Housing Resources is a leading advocate for quality, affordable housing and administers housing-related programs and services.

The Buffalo Cooperative Credit Union is a non-profit cooperative financial institution that is owned and operated for the benefit of the members who use its services.

The Puerto Rican Committee for Community Justice is a community-based committee formed to advocate for justice on behalf of the Puerto Rican/Latino community in Buffalo.

The Greater East Side Fields of Dreams Block Club Association is a community-based organization focused on improving quality of life through voluntary efforts to build community.

The Orchard Community Initiative is a community based organization whose mission is to create a better quality of life for all the Fruit Belt residents living on Buffalo’s East Side.

The Fruit Belt Community Land Trust is a non-profit completely owned and operated by those who live and work there in order to create affordable housing through community ownership of land to fight gentrification.