Treasury awards $8.7B for lending in minority communities

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Treasury Department will release $8.7 billion to help increase lending to small and minority-owned businesses and to people living in poorer communities with limited access to banking. The funds from the Emergency Capital Investment Program will go to 186 community-based financial institutions. Vice President Kamala Harris and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen spoke about the investments Tuesday. Black Americans represent 13.4% of the U.S. population, yet Federal Reserve figures show they control just 4.3% of household wealth. More than half of Black household wealth is in the form of pension entitlements. This makes it harder for people living in predominantly Black communities to qualify for business loans and mortgages.