Any discussion of unbanked and underbanked individuals in New York state should address the lack of banking in not only urban, but also rural areas, said Joseph Wiley, CEO of School Systems FCU, speaking on behalf of the New York Credit Union Association on Thursday.

Wiley made his remarks during a roundtable discussion on finding solutions for assisting unbanked and underbanked individuals in New York state, held by Sen. James Sanders, chairman of the Committee on Banks.

“My message to the roundtable was that credit unions have always put serving the underserved as a priority, whether that be the rural, poor and underbanked, or inner-city members seeking flexible banking, checking cashing or loan-approval decisions,” Wiley said.

Henry Meier, the Association’s SVP/general counsel, also attended the roundtable and agreed that credit unions are doing their part to help provide more benefits to underserved communities and individuals. However, he said it is important that there are no unnecessary boundaries, such as mandates that limit the flexibility of credit unions to assist the unbanked and underbanked individuals in the state.

Meier emphasized how key parts of the credit union agenda are designed to provide greater access to the underbanked, such as by eliminating unnecessary field of membership restrictions and ensuring that New York’s students gain financial literacy. He also emphasized that the Association work closely with CDFI credit unions.