Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation

From: saustin@occh.org [mailto:saustin@occh.org]
Sent: Friday, October 15, 2004 9:02 AM
To: Comments
Subject: Community Reinvestment -- RIN 3064-AC50

Mr. Robert E. Feldman
Executive Secretary
Attention: Comments/Legal ESS
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
550 17th St. NW
Washington, DC 20429
RE: RIN 3064-AC50

Dear Mr. Feldman:

I am writing to request that you to withdraw your proposed changes to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) regulations. My organization, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, knows firsthand that the CRA has been instrumental in increasing homeownership, boosting economic development, and expanding small businesses in the nation’s low- and moderate-income communities.

The Community Reinvestment Act is vital to affordable housing and community development.Without strong support from our financial institution partners, this work will not be possible. As much as I would like to believe that banks would continue to invest in low income neighborhoods I know that CRA is was is driving their participation.

The proposed FDIC rule would exempt many of our community’s key financial partners from the effective and productive requirements currently in place. We oppose any increase to the threshold of what is considered to be a small bank,and we urge the FDIC withdraw its proposed rule Sincerely,

Sharon Austin
Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing
Columbus, OH