HCLF’s mission extends beyond the provision of affordable and just financial products for our lending market area. As a community development financial institution (CDFI), HCLF understands that many low-wealth residents of Hartford are negatively impacted by systems that undermine the economic well-being of our neighbors.
Some of these systems operate on a very local basis (like the City of Hartford’s policy of selling tax liens to outside investors, resulting in an increase in foreclosures of Hartford homeowners); some may be regional in nature (for example, a proposed merger by two area banks that may reduce the new institution’s investments in Hartford); and some may impact Hartford and communities like it across the country (the large number of food deserts in low-wealth communities across the country, which the CDFI Fund has been working to address with HCLF and other local CDFIs, through the Healthy Food Financing Initiative).
Each year HCLF’s Board identifies 2-3 policy issues in which HCLF will be engaged over 1-3 year periods each, depending on the specific initiative. Each policy initiative will identify a clear goal, including short and long-term objectives for HCLF’s work. Below are examples of some of HCLF’s recent policy initiatives.
