Every quarter TSAHC spotlights a staff member or partner to help our readers get to know our mission and industry a little better. This week we interviewed Julie Gunter and Emily Perlmeter with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas to understand the important work their Community Development team does.
TSAHC partners with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Community Development team on various initiatives. We recently collaborated on the Rural Housing Preservation Academy designed to help rural housing providers acquire and preserve rental housing in their respective communities. The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas also generously sponsors and hosts our Housing Connection training for housing counselors and nonprofits.
People commonly associate the Federal Reserve Bank with monetary policy, but you all do so much more than that. Can you talk about the work you and your colleagues do as part of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Community Development team?
In Community Development (CD), our mission is to promote the economic resilience and mobility of low- and moderate-income (LMI) and underserved individuals and communities. We conduct research and data analysis, and we collaborate with stakeholders, e.g. TSAHC and other nonprofits, banks, funders, municipalities, employers, and other community leaders, to build capacity in these communities. We also seek to inform and influence the other core functions of the Federal Reserve System, e.g. banking supervision and economic research, by understanding and elevating the issues of these communities.
Tell us about the issues and policy areas the Community Development team is focused on currently.
Our publications on these topics and more can be found here. You can sign up for our email newsletters there, too.
We value our strong partnership with you to take on initiatives like housing counselor training and rural housing preservation. What sort of other collaborations and partnerships are you all involved in?
We are honored to partner with wonderful organizations on a variety of projects, both outreach and research focused. One example of the former is mentioned above: our partnership with HousingWorks Austin, which brings together community and national leaders to discuss the important role that housing can play in growing and sustaining equitable communities. Another example is our partnership with the Center for Public Policy Priorities, which yielded a community forum on credit and debt conditions in Dallas County. A follow-up to that report is now planned for Bexar, El Paso, Harris, and Travis counties.
What’s one thing everyone should know about the work the Community Development team does?
We are here to serve you! Please call or email us. We love to talk with practitioners about ideas, best practices, potential partners, etc. We can share strategies that have worked in other places that may benefit your community.
Community Development Team
Here's a little more information about the Community Development team members TSAHC works with the most.
Roy Lopez, Assistant Vice President - Community Development Officer
Mr. Lopez leads the Dallas Fed’s community development function, promoting economic growth and financial stability for low- and moderate-income communities through resources and innovative ideas that connect them to opportunities in the mainstream economy. His current responsibilities include strategic planning, management and implementation of outreach programs across the Eleventh Federal Reserve District. He also chairs the bank’s community leadership initiatives and is a member of the subcommittee on community affairs for the Federal Reserve System.
Julie Gunter, Senior Community Development Advisor
Ms. Gunter is writer and content curator for the Bank’s Building Wealth guide and creates new content for digital and mobile versions of this popular personal financial education resource. Her latest project is developing an eLearning version of Building Wealth. Gunter speaks to community groups on a wide variety of community development and financial inclusion topics, advises bankers on strategies to meet their obligations under the Community Reinvestment Act, and produces conferences and events throughout the Fed’s Eleventh District.
Emily Perlmeter, Community Development Advisor
Ms. Perlmeter is responsible for overseeing surveys and quantitative research for the department. She provides analysis and outreach on issues relating to consumer finance, affordable housing, small business and the impact of public policies on low- and moderate-income communities. Emily also serves on the board of directors for two nonprofits: HousingWorks Austin and the Financial Literacy Coalition of Central Texas.
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Amazing post! Thanks for sharing.