Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation

From: Victoria Zinser Johnson [mailto:vjohnson@friendsofthenorthcountry.org]
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 1:41 PM
To: Comments
Cc: Missy
Subject: Code: RIN3064-AC 50 comments

Dear FDIC representative,

I am the Executive Director of Friends of the North Country, Inc. a community development non-profit located in Keeseville, NY. We are extremely concerned about the proposed changes in CRA rules, which would negatively impact us by a smaller number of banks in our state falling under these guidelines. The proposed changes would effectively reduce the number of banks falling within this criteria by more than half.

Our organization has found the CRA a vital tool in providing affordable housing and community reinvestment on behalf of low income communities and residents. We believe that the proposed changes represent a serious weakening of the gains already made and cannot urge you strongly enough to change these modifications to require continued CRA compliance among these banks.

Thank you for your attention.