Deerfield Beach, Fla. – The second annual South Florida Community Reinvestment Summit takes place this year at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Deerfield Beach, 100 Fairway Drive in Deerfield Beach, on Friday, February 24 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. This year’s theme is Partnerships for Fair and Equal Access to Capital, Credit and Financial Services.

“This is the premier event to provide the tools for community-based organizations (CBOs) and financial institutions to partner and serve low-to-moderate communities with the Community Reinvestment Act,”

said Cornell Crews Jr., Executive Director of Community Reinvestment Alliance of South Florida, Inc.

The CRASF Winter Summit is a one-day event with plenary sessions, workshops, a keynote luncheon and networking reception. Registration is only $25 per person or organization. Attendees can register online at crasf.org or onsite the day of the event.

Speakers for the day include Anna Alverez Boyd, Sr. Associate Director, Division of Consumer & Community Affairs Federal Reserve; Jesse Van Tol, Chief Operating Officer, National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC); Noel Poyo, Executive Director, National Latino Community Asset Builders; Robert Dickerson, Jr., Executive Director, Birmingham Business Resource Center & Chairman of the Board National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC); Dr. Ned Murray, FIU Metropolitan Center; Barrett Burns, President & CEO Vantage Score Solutions; Stella Adams, Civil Rights Division of National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC); and Nicole Barden, National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC).

There are four panels; the first is the Community Reinvestment Examiners Panel, composed of the three government agencies that regulate financial institutions. It includes: Lisa Robinson of the Federal Reserve, Penny B. King of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Lisa Mifflin, Office of the Comptroller of Currency.

The second panel is entitled, “Initiatives That Support Strong Economies” with Patrick Rutter, Executive Director PBC Planning, Zoning and Building Department; Mandy Bartle, Executive Director South Florida Community Land Trust and Cindee Lacourse-Blum, Executive Director, Community Land Trust of Palm Beach County.

There will also be a Small Business and CRA panel and a Bankers Roundtable for financial institutions only.

Breakout session topics include: Levers for Investment: CRA, AFFH – How do communities get access to the tools to impact levers of public and private investment, Negotiating a Community Benefits Agreement and Alternative Credit Scoring.

The host and creator of the South Florida Community Reinvestment Summit is the Community Reinvestment Alliance of South Florida (CRASF), a coalition comprised of community leaders from a variety of nonprofit organizations in South Florida.

CRASF represents a diverse assembly of stakeholders advocating to ensure fair and equal access to financial services/products and increased community investments. It creates, supports and implements sustainable solutions to enhance and empower neighborhood and individual well-being.

To learn more about CRASF, visit crasf.org, call 954-622-4184 or e-mail info@crasf.org.