The Federal Home Loan Banks increased their support for affordable housing in 2016 by 15 percent, according to a new report released this month by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The report highlights FHLBank low-income housing and community development activities from last year. In all, the FHLBanks helped close to 40,000 low or moderate-income households, including approximately 22,000 very low-income households, become homeowners. Under the program, FHLBank members apply to their bank for Affordable Housing Program funds. Those funds can then be utilized to buy, construct, or rehabilitate affordable housing. The funds can come in the form of either a grant or a subsidized interest rate advance from an FHLBank to its member.