CRA

Months after OceanFirst Financial settled federal redlining allegations, it received the highest possible Community Reinvestment Act rating from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. CEO Christopher Maher said the bank made a "significant effort" to introduce its lending products to markets it had recently entered via acquisition.

The Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency say they will move to rescind a 2023 reform to the Community Reinvestment Act, citing litigation concerns about the rule.

With plans to open 100 banking centers in "banking deserts," the $3 trillion JPMorgan Chase is arguably the nation's largest community bank. Other big banks should take notice and follow suit, and regulators should encourage them.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said in a letter to the American Bankers Association and the Chamber of Commerce that the banking industry gets a "free pass" in Community Reinvestment Act examinations.

The industry-led legal challenge to new anti-redlining rules is opposed by some banks and consumer protection groups, who say the changes are necessary.

Beneficial State Bank — which was joined by various civil rights groups — said in an amicus brief that the regulatory reforms are much-needed and that banking groups' legal challenge to the Community Reinvestment Act rules should be dismissed.

The change, which goes into effect April 1, delays when certain banks would have to change their assessment areas until 2026.

Top banking regulators reaffirmed their commitment to bolstering the Community Reinvestment Act despite a court challenge, emphasizing their personal dedication to seeing the rule implemented.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a report last week examining state CRA laws that have a more expansive scope and are more tightly integrated in the state licensing process.

Heads of the three major bank regulatory agencies made their case for why the recently finalized framework implementing the Community Reinvestment Act is not all bad for the banks subjected to it.