Community Reinvestment Act | American Bankers Association

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The Community Reinvestment Act was enacted in 1977 with a worthy goal of encouraging banks to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they operate, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. The rules implementing CRA, however, have not kept pace with the digital revolution and evolving customer preferences. This has prompted a regulatory review of the best way to modernize the CRA regulations.

ABA strongly supports updating CRA and has urged regulators to: reflect changes in technology, increase certainty and transparency regarding regulatory interpretations and standards, improve the supervisory process, and apply CRA-like requirements to other financial firms, including credit unions.

Statutes

12 U.S.C. 2901-2908

Rules & Regulations

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Staff Analysis

Transitioning to the 2021 OCC CRA Rule
March 15, 2022
FDIC/OCC CRA Proposed Rule
December 19, 2019
Comparison Chart of OCC's Policies and Procedures Manual
August 16, 2018
Revisions to the Interagency Community Reinvestment Act FAQs
September 10, 2014

CRA Questions from the Hotline

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Agency Guidance

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Final Rule to Rescind the OCC's June 2020 CRA Rule
February 22, 2022
FFIEC's CRA Geocoding System
December 31, 2021
FFIEC's CRA Home Page
December 21, 2021
Community Reinvestment Act: Implementation of the June 2020 Final Rule
May 18, 2021
Interagency Frequently Asked Questions Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
March 8, 2021
OCC Issues Guidance on Programs for Home Loans with Over 100 Percent LTV
June 19, 2019
FFIEC's Interagency Interpretive Letters on CRA
September 6, 2018
OCC Issues Bulletin Outlining How Examiners Assess CRA Performance
June 15, 2018
Treasury Issues Recommendations for CRA Modernization
April 3, 2018
GAO: Options for Treasury to Consider to Encourage Services and Small-Dollar Loans When Reviewing CRA Framework
February 1, 2018
Collaborative Relationships with Minority Depository Institutions (FDIC issuance - FIL-64-2017)
December 22, 2017
Interagency Q&As on Community Reinvestment
July 25, 2016
Agencies Release Final Revisions to Interagency Q&As Regarding Community Reinvestment
November 15, 2013
Agencies Revise Final Interagency Q&A's on CRA
January 6, 2009
CRA Consideration for Small-Dollar Loan Programs (FDIC News Release)
November 4, 2006
Revised Interagency Q&A Regarding Community Reinvestments
March 10, 2006
International Remittance Consideration
June 3, 2004
New Markets Tax Credit (OCC Interpretation)
December 17, 2003
Interagency Q&A Regarding Community Reinvestments
July 12, 2001
DOJ Memo to OCC's Eugene Ludwig on CRA
December 15, 1994

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Exam Procedures

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Policy Library
News

Policy Library

Comment Letter
Joint ABA and State Bankers Association Letter to the Agencies on the Proposed CRA Overhaul
August 5, 2022
Testimony
"Examining the Unified Proposed Rule to Modernize the Community Reinvestment Act."
July 13, 2022
Comment Letter
Joint Trades Letter on CRA Comment Period Extension
May 31, 2022
Staff Analysis
Transitioning to the 2021 OCC CRA Rule
March 15, 2022

News

NewsByte
Federal agencies update CRA ‘small bank’ definitions
December 20, 2022
NewsByte
Survey: Regulatory change remains top concern for banks
December 16, 2022
NewsByte
Agencies release 2021 CRA data on small business, community development lending
December 16, 2022
NewsByte
ABA, trade groups seek extension of CIP comment period
November 15, 2022

Proposed Rules

Related Training & Events

Making a Difference in Rural Communities and Overlooked Areas
Upcoming Webinar | August 22, 2023 | 3 - 4 PM ET
Developing a CRA Business Plan
Upcoming Webinar | July 20, 2023 | 12 - 1 PM ET
Partnering With MDIs and CDFIs for Greater Impact
Upcoming Webinar | June 22, 2023 | 12 - 1 PM ET
Forming Effective Community Partnerships
Recorded Webinar | May 31, 2023

ABA Resources

Guide
Comment Letter Writing Guide: Community Reinvestment Act Proposed Regulations
July 25, 2022

Agency Materials

In Depth

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Krista Shonk

Vice President & Senior Counsel, Regulatory Compliance and Policy

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