SF Fed Blog
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Data Use is Key to Improving Communities: New Book Challenges Policymakers, Funders, and Those Seeking to Broaden Opportunity to Work More Strategically
With 90 percent of the world’s data generated in just the past two years, a new book released today challenges policymakers, funders, and practitioners across sectors to seize this new opportunity to revolutionize our approaches to improve lives in low-income communities. What Counts: Harnessing Data for America’s Communities from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and the Urban Institute provides a roadmap 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.
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The Rise of Single-Family Rentals in Arizona, California and Nevada
The geographies that were hard-hit by the foreclosure crisis are now struggling with the rise of investor-owned single-family homes. This tenure shift from ownership to rental was most pronounced in those areas that experienced severe price depreciation and offered an abundant supply of distressed property. This trend of growing absentee ownership raises important community development questions around the issues of neighborhood stabilization, rental costs, property maintenance, and lost asset building opportunities for potential first-time homebuyers.
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Using Pay-For-Success To Increase Investment In The Nonmedical Determinants Of Health
Pay for Success is a new financial and contracting tool that pays investor-funded nonprofits for delivering measurable social outcomes. This approach, while still new, increases investment in evidence-based programs and creates investable opportunities for impact investors and potentially CRA-motivated banks as well. One particularly ripe opportunity for Pay for Success is in health improvement. “Using Pay-For-Success To Increase Investment In The Nonmedical Determinants Of Health,” written by Federal Reserve researcher Ian Galloway for the health policy journal Health Affairs, explores how Pay for Success could be used to increase investment in illness prevention, save health care costs, improve patient outcomes, and create a market that values health, not just health care.
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How Are Low-Income Households Faring Five Years after the Great Recession?
According to a new report by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, 60 percent of Americans describe themselves as “Doing okay” or “Living comfortably,” but a closer look at low-income households reveals a different picture.
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Are San Francisco’s Low-Income Residents Moving Up or Moving Out?
We all know that San Francisco is an expensive place to live. While the data seems to indicate a city that is doing well on all fronts, it does not tell a complete story.
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Tech Entrepreneurs Can Play an Important Role in Financial Inclusion
The terms “tech entrepreneur” and “low-income” typically don’t go together, but an innovative collaboration of philanthropists and investors is trying to change that.
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Successfully Revitalize Communities through a Cross-Sector Approach
Video: Elizabeth Kneebone and David Erickson discuss how community revitalization is possible in suburban communities by adopting a cross-sector approach that engages education, health, transportation, job training, and other sectors.
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Community Development’s Role in Disease Prevention
How do you prevent disease caused or triggered by social and environmental factors? By meeting it head on in the community.
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For-Profit Colleges and the Student Debt Crisis
Student debt is a growing issue, particularly as it relates to for-profit colleges and low- and moderate-income students. In this post, Laura Choi highlights striking statistics on the student loan debt burdening our nation’s LMI students.