Bank On Houston is a collaborative effort between the City of Houston Controller’s Office, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the National League of Cities, the Federal Reserve Bank, small & large banks and credit unions, and numerous other organizations dedicated to decrease the number of unbanked and underbanked in the City of Houston.
Introduced by former City Controller and former Mayor Annise Parker in 2008, Controller Chris Hollins renewed the commitment to Bank On Houston and its mission of serving Houston’s unbanked and underbanked communities upon entering office in 2024.
Today, Bank On Houston seeks to identify these communities and introduce them to Bank On Coalition-certified National Account Standard (NAS) accounts, products without excessive fees or strict requirements.
Who is considered “unbanked”?
Individuals and families without access to traditional checking or savings accounts.
Who is considered “underbanked”?
Individuals and families with access to traditional checking or savings accounts, but still utilize often harmful financial products outside the banking system.
What products are considered “harmful”?
Cash advance loans, payday loans, auto title loans, and many more products often have excess fees and interest rates -- almost as high as 500% in Texas.
What are National Account Standard (NAS) accounts?
The Bank On Coalition, through the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, reviews and certifies banking products offered by financial institutions across America with National Account Standards (NAS) in mind. These products often don’t require a minimum opening deposit, have overdraft fees, or other strict requirements.
Want to learn more about Bank On Houston?
Email boh@houstontx.gov or call 832-393-3406.
Interested in learning about an NAS account today?
Email boh.intake@houstontx.gov ASAP!
