(a) No financial institution shall discriminate in the availability of, or in the provision of, financial assistance for the purpose of purchasing, constructing, rehabilitating, improving, or refinancing housing accommodations due, in whole or in part, to the consideration of conditions, characteristics, or trends in the neighborhood or geographic area surrounding the housing accommodation, unless the financial institution can demonstrate that consideration of these conditions in the particular case is required to avoid an unsafe and unsound business practice.
(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any financial institution from establishing a special loan program designed to engender equality in housing in accordance with the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. Secs. 3601 et seq.) or similar state and federal laws, so long as the program promotes housing opportunities in ethnic minority or low-income neighborhoods.