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
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its intention to repeal the 2023 CRA rule many bankers are way too eager to move on and forget about the soon-to-be-repealed rule.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 January 2025, the new Trump administration issued Executive Order 14173, which ordered all executive departments and agencies to, among other things, end federal “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) programs and to use...more
In Podcast 95, Len and Dean argue that the 2023 CRA rule is flawed and confusing, urging its repeal and calling for reforms that truly support community development....more
This second installment in a series of insights on bank charter considerations describes the consequences of operating through an insured depository institution charter, including capital requirements, supervision and...more
Dear Banker, Many bankers are easily confused by the technical requirements for loans in "disaster areas'' to be potentially qualified for community development credit under CRA. This brief article explains how to avoid...more
In the previous articles of this 4-part series, I identified and explained three types of fatal flaws in the 2023 CRA rule and I presented 5 suggestions to improve the effectiveness of the legacy CRA rule. In this article I...more
In the first 3 articles in this series (1, 2, 3), we identified fatal flaws in the 2023 CRA rule. In Parts 4a – 4c we propose the regulators consider potential improvements to the rule when they publish the Notice of Proposed...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
What Happened? The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Federal Reserve”) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”), (collectively, “federal...more
Len & Dean examine how the 2023 CRA rule and Section 1071 could impose unrealistic standards on banks through rigid assessment areas, urging the industry to engage in the rulemaking process and prepare for regulatory changes...more
On March 28, the Federal Reserve, FDIC, and OCC jointly announced plans to rescind 2023 revisions to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) regulations. The agencies stated they would return to the previous regulatory framework...more
When the new CRA rule was published in late 2023 it contained some very serious flaws that need to be corrected. In fact, some of those flaws are so bad that they left the Trump Administration with only 2 choices,...more
The federal banking agencies have announced their intent to issue a proposal to rescind the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) final rule originally issued in October 2023. In their announcement on March 28, the agencies also...more
Today, March 28, the regulators announced what many have been anticipating. The Agencies issued a press release indicating they intend to rescind the 2023 CRA rule....more
When the new CRA rule was published in late 2023 it contained some very serious flaws that need to be corrected. Fixing the flawed CRA rule should be a high priority for the Trump Administration because the new rule is...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
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
On October 1, the OCC released its CRA performance evaluations for September. The OCC evaluated 21 entities, including national banks, federal savings associations and insured federal branches of foreign banks. The assessment...more
On September 3, the OCC released its Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) performance evaluations for August. The OCC evaluated 17 entities, including national banks, federal savings associations and insured federal branches of...more