January 2026
Dear Friends,
As we begin 2026, I would like to comment about a few things that make Community unique. Community is an independent, mutually owned single location financial institution located on Chicago’s northwest side. It is locally managed and dedicated to serving area residents from around Chicagoland. The bank has been located at Cicero and Belmont Avenues since 1944. Personal service is provided by knowledgeable staff members who know many customers by name. Some of our employees also speak Spanish or Polish in addition to English. Banking at Community continues to be very affordable, without the fees charged by other institutions.
Since the pandemic and the subsequent inflationary period, interest rates on deposit and certificate accounts have fluctuated. During this time, however, Community has continued to pay competitive rates on all accounts. Community is well capitalized, and in addition, all deposits are insured by the FDIC according to its rules and regulations. Deposit insurance from the FDIC provides an extra layer of safety for all depositors. Accounts at Community are designed to provide good benefits for our customers. Banking at Community is affordable whether you bank in-person, online, or from a mobile device. Community is also part of several surcharge-free ATM networks to help customers have access to cash wherever they happen to be.
Community is in the mortgage lending business. Community offers a number of mortgage loan options to meet customers’ needs when buying or refinancing homes or other residential properties. There are many mortgage lenders out there, but if you are in the market to purchase or refinance we ask that you inquire here. With our competitive rates, in-house decision making and experienced loan team I am sure we can help. Community offers fixed rate loans. And all loans are held in the bank’s portfolio and not sold to investors, which can be very helpful should any questions or servicing issues arise during the life of the loan. If you need to borrow some additional cash for some important expenditure Home Equity Loans and Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOCs) are also offered. See details on the Lending tab of our website.
Please look through this newsletter to learn more about what Community offers. I hope you find the articles about protecting yourself from scams in the bank’s Resource Center. If you are a Community Customer, thank you for your business. If you are not already a customer, stop in or call us and give us a try. We would look forward to serving as Your Personal Neighborhood Bank.
Sincerely,
Dane H. Cleven, President and Chairman
Community Savings Bank, Chicago