BMO Harris launches $5 billion program to help Black and Latino businesses and communities
CHICAGO — BMO Harris is launching a $5 billion initiative to support minority-owned businesses and communities, with a significant investment earmarked for Chicago.The five-year program, announced Tuesday, will increase commercial lending opportunities for Black and Latino businesses, which have been hard-hit during the pandemic. It also will include direct investment in underserved communities through affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization.“We’ve seen the disparate impact that it (COVID-19) has had on communities of color during the economic downturn,” said Eric Smith, a Chicago-b...