Capital Area Finance Authority

The Capital Area Finance Authority looks to be the catalyst for community through investments, grants and mortgages.

CAFA symbolizes energetic vision, advancement, opportunity and a shared connection among the nine parishes surrounding Baton Rouge. The Authority works toward advancing these ideals by offering funding to those with a vision to better our community through commercial development, residential development and public infrastructure, and to those looking to better their lives through home ownership. We are here to be the positive catalyst for building community and ultimately contributing to the region's growth and forward progress.

Formerly known as the East Baton Rouge Mortgage Finance Authority, Capital Area Finance Authority was created through a Trust Indenture dated Aug. 14, 1974, pursuant to provisions of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended. The initial legislation and subsequent amendments grant the Authority the power to issue bonds and to use the proceeds to provide financing for housing conducted in the public interest within the boundaries of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.

Bonds issued by the Authority are special obligations of the Authority and are not obligations of the State of Louisiana or any other political subdivision thereof. Since 1979, the Authority has issued $1.305 billion in single-family mortgage revenue bonds, which ranks the Authority 3rd nationally in volume of bonds issued and 3rd nationally in number of issues completed when compared to other parish and/or county issuers of single-family bonds. The Authority is self-supporting and has never received any appropriation of funds from any governmental agency.

The Authority has made a major contribution to home ownership and economic development in East Baton Rouge Parish by providing more than $1 billion in below conventional market rate funds to more than 15,500 low and moderate income households.

Under each of its single-family mortgage lending programs, the Authority utilizes Baton Rouge area financial institutions to originate the mortgage loans acquired. The Bank of New York serves as the Authority’s bond trustee of the separate bond programs for bonds closed through Dec. 31, 2006. Regions Bank serves as the Authority’s bond trustee of the bond issues closed during the first quarter of 2007.

In 1995 the Authority began to further assist homebuyers in purchasing their first home by offering funds of 3% to 4% of the original loan amount to be used toward the borrower’s closing cost and down payment. Of the 6,211 loans made since 1995, 4,925 (79.3%) of those mostly first-time homebuyers received such a homebuyer grant.

In 2006, the Authority extended its program to homebuyers who have previously owned a home. The change was made possible due to a change in federal policy enacted following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

In 2015, the Authority amended the Trust Indenture to change the name to the Capital Area Finance Authority, finance all public purposes in the Louisiana Public Trust Act and expand it’s lending programs to the eight parishes surrounding East Baton Rouge Parish, including: Pointe Coupee, West Feliciana, East Feliciana, St. Helena, West Baton Rouge, Iberville, Ascension and Livingston.