They are under less pressure from policymakers to halt repurchase plans, but some have already hit the brakes and others may unofficially do so if the pandemic worsens.

Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, the top Democrat on the Banking Committee, said financial institutions "need to be investing in their communities right now, not investing in their CEOs’ stock portfolios.”

Concerns about the economic fallout of coronavirus have mostly focused on supply chain disruptions. But fears are growing that weakening consumer demand could spark a recession.

Jennifer Kouchis, chief mortgage banking officer lending for VyStar Credit Union in Jacksonville, has been at the forefront of numerous campaigns to reach overlooked communities, including tailoring products to them.

Some pandemic-related gains have been ceded to depositories, national numbers from last year's Home Mortgage Disclosure Act reporting confirm.

Under a 2-year-old program, homebuyers receive grants of up to $5,000 for down payments and closing costs. JPMorgan Chase said the latest expansion — to some new 3,000 census tracts in 16 U.S. markets — may help an additional 1,000 customers obtain mortgages.

A proposal to tie cancellation of private mortgage insurance policies to automated valuation models would add unnecessary risk to mortgage portfolios and would result in less, not more, affordable housing.

The rule requiring businesses to report their beneficial ownership is deeply flawed. Enforcement should be suspended until it can be revised to place fewer burdens on law-abiding people and companies.

The Trump administration has taken the first steps toward turning the U.S. into the world's crypto "capital" — but is it willing to go all the way?