Federal Home Loan Banks
The Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLB) are a system of 12 banks located in different areas of the United States that were originally created in 1932 to help banks and other institutions after the effects of the depression. They offer below market-rate loans to members for long-term financing for housing and economic development that benefits low- and moderate- income families and neighborhoods. The federal home loan banks are privately capitalized, government-sponsored enterprises.
The FHLBs are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Des Moines, Indianapolis, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Seattle, and Topeka. Each bank serves a separate, non-overlapping district within the United States.
The banks operate a Community Investment Program (CIP), which is is designed to be a catalyst for economic development because it supports projects that create and preserve jobs and help build infrastructure to support growth. Lenders have used CIP to fund owner-occupied and rental housing, construct roads, bridges, retail stores, sewage treatment plants and provide small business loans.
Oversight for the federal home loan banks is provided by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, created by congress in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, ensuring that they operate safely, carry out their housing and community development finance mission, and remain adequately capitalized so they are able to raise funds in the capital markets.