NEW YORK, NY July 13, 2009 —Some 280,000 New Yorkers live in zip codes without a single bank. That's according to an investigation from city councilman Eric Gioia.

REPORTER: He says if a check cashing place is the only financial institution in a neighborhood, it's nearly impossible for residents to make it into the middle class.

GIOIA: Without a bank, you can't save up for college, you can't even get a credit card, so a mortgage is completely out of the question.

REPORTER: The Queens Democrat, who is a candidate for public advocate, is calling on the city to aggressively market empty commercial space to banks. He also wants the state to allow credit unions to be part of banking development districts.