Banks Win Challenge to NYC Community Reinvestment Law

American Banker
Monday, August 10, 2015

A federal judge has overturned a New York City law that required banks to disclose their investments in local communities. The law was designed to pressure banks by asking for data relating to small-business lending, efforts to prevent foreclosures, affordable housing lending and branches in low-income communities – requirements that went beyond the Community Reinvestment Act. The law applied to 21 banks eligible to hold the city’s municipal deposits. The New York City Banking Commission considered the information when deciding where to park deposits, incenting banks to invest more in underserved neighborhoods. U.S. District Judge Katherine Failla said the act was impermissible as it “[secured] compliance through public shaming of banks.”