Neighborhood Financial Services Study

The NFS Study explores the availability and usage of financial services and products in two neighborhoods: Jamaica, Queens and Melrose, Bronx. The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs’ Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE) conducted the study under the leadership of the Center for Economic Opportunity as part of Mayor Bloomberg’s broader anti-poverty efforts, and with support from the William J. Clinton Foundation. The purpose of the NFS Study is to better understand banking dynamics in low-income neighborhoods to identify public and private opportunities for long-term, high-impact financial empowerment initiatives.