Agencies Propose New Package of CRA Changes

American Banker
Monday, September 8, 2014

Regulators have unveiled a second round of CRA reforms, this time increasing banks' opportunities to get CRA credit for small-dollar loan programs. The new reform, instituted by the OCC, FDIC and Federal Reserve Board, represents an incremental change in CRA policy, changing to the agencies' "Question and Answers" document used to interpret CRA enforcement procedures. CRA credit for small-dollar lending is already available as part of the CRA exam's lending test. But under the proposed revision, small-dollar lending could garner additional consideration as one of a number of "innovative or flexible lending practices." Banks and consumer advocates have 60 days to comment on the proposal.