Federal Regulations Define Special-Purpose Credit-12 CFR 202

Federal regulations define special-purpose credit-12 CFR 202.8 to include:

A) Any credit assistance program authorized by federal or state law for the benefit of an economically disadvantaged class of persons
B) Any credit assistance program offered by a not-for-profit organization for the benefit of its members or for the benefit of an economically disadvantaged class of person
C) A special-purpose credit program must not discriminate on a prohibited basis; however, it can require its participants to share a particular characteristic (such as race or sex) provided the requirement was not established to evade the requirements of the ECOA. If the participants must share a common characteristic, the bank may collect information on that characteristic to determine eligibility
D) If the program includes financial need as a criterion, the creditor can never request and consider information regarding the applicant