Wild Times for the Community Reinvestment Act
2023 CRA Rule Repeal: Lessons to be Learned
The fatal flaws in the 2023 CRA rule
Predictions regarding the 2023 CRA Rule and Section 1071 and how to prepare for expected developments
How to estimate how your performance will look under the new CRA
2024 Regulatory Hot Topics
The Coming Perfect Storm
The Importance of Assessment Areas
Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast Episode: Community Reinvestment Act Reform: A Close Look at the Final Rule
Keeping up with all the new regulations
What’s behind the increase in CRA Exam failures?
The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA): Recap and What to Expect in 2014
Join top CRA experts Dr. Ken Thomas, Len Suzio and Dean Stockford for a wide ranging discussion on the Community Reinvestment Act....more
On July 16, the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) (collectively, the federal banking agencies) jointly published a proposed rule...more
The Trump Administration officially has announced it intends to emphasize “deregulation” with a focus of eliminating 10 regulations for every new regulation. Eliminating regulations is one thing, but enforcement is another...more
On July 1, the OCC released CRA performance evaluations for 22 national banks, federal savings associations, and insured federal branches of foreign banks, covering the period from June 1 through June 30. Of the evaluations...more
Now that the Trump Administration has announced its intention to repeal the 2023 CRA rule many bankers are way too eager to move on and forget about the soon-to-be-repealed rule. It was unbelievably complex, confusing and...more
In the previous 3 articles of this 4-part series I identified and explained three types of fatal flaws in the 2023 CRA rule: 1. The unreliable and sometimes misleading performance ratings based on unrealistic assessment...more
To keep you informed of recent activities, below are several of the most significant federal and state events that have influenced the Consumer Financial Services industry over the past week....more
Yesterday, as I was writing this article the news broke about the regulators deciding they intend to rescind the 2023 CRA rule. My first reaction was to toss this article in the “trash” folder. But upon further reflection I...more
As all CRA officers know by now on December 19, 2024, the agencies announced the new size thresholds to determine what asset size qualifies as a “small bank”, “intermediate-small bank”, and “large bank” for CRA purposes. The...more
On January 2, the OCC released its CRA performance evaluations that became public during the month of December. The OCC evaluated 16 entities, including national banks, federal savings associations, and insured federal...more
In 2024, the U.S. federal bank regulators were extremely active, with initiatives ranging from antitrust and capital to proposals regarding controlling shareholders and incentive-based compensation. Climate issues and...more
On December 2, the OCC released its CRA performance evaluations that became public during the month of November. The OCC evaluated 19 entities, including national banks, federal savings associations, and insured federal...more
During the Biden-Harris Administration, the relationship between financial institutions and their regulators chilled considerably. The financial services industry works daily with its regulators—especially through the...more
While the coming weeks and months will provide more clarity, we already can anticipate some indications of what is in store for bank regulation, supervision, and enforcement in a second Trump Administration. To help navigate...more
When the new 2023 CRA Rule was approved by regulators FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg indicated one of the goals was to “raise the bar” for CRA performance ratings. Now that the final 2023 CRA performance ratings are in it...more
On October 3, the FDIC released an updated list of state nonmember banks examined for compliance under the CRA. The Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 requires public disclosure of...more
Recent news stories explain the criticism of Senator Warren and Congresswoman Waters directed at banks that are litigating the 2023 CRA rule. But perhaps their frustration should be focused on the regulators who have...more
Readers of this article may think I am referring to Orcas, sometimes known as “killer whales.” But what I am referring to is the new form of Assessment Area in the 2023 CRA Rule. However, the analogy/metaphor may be...more
I’ve written articles critical of the Section 1071 Rule and the CFPB’s implementation of the new rule. For example, the scheduled “applicable dates” for data recording and reporting make no sense at all. As currently...more
Federal banking regulators are asking the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to lift a Texas court injunction barring implementation of new Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) rules....more
As any bank professional regulatory compliance professional knows redlining is the hottest issue today and has been since Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the “Combatting Redlining Initiative” in October 2021. Since...more
On July 12, the FDIC, Fed, and OCC released a list of distressed or underserved nonmetropolitan middle-income areas eligible for CRA credit. The list identified regions where banks’ revitalization or stabilization activities...more
Recently, the OCC released its Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) performance evaluations for June. The OCC evaluated 21 entities, including national banks, federal savings associations, and insured federal branches of foreign...more
When the Supreme Court decided in favor of the plaintiff in Loper Bright Enterprises et al vs. Gina Raimondo it overruled its decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, the so-called “Chevron Decision” which...more
In emails in recent months we've warned bankers about the extremely aggressive enforcement of anti-redlining policies. This is becoming more and more obvious every day as more banks get threatened with referral to the DOJ....more