Advocacy, Coalitions, Community Benefits
The Community Reinvestment Act was a landmark civil rights law passed in 1977 to end discrimination that was once common in America’s banking and housing markets. NCRC leads campaigns, community coalitions, advocacy with federal policy makers and negotiations with lenders to fulfill their obligations under the law.
NCRC’s #TreasureCRA campaign seeks to strengthen and modernize it.
Since 2016, banks have pledged more than $338 billion in lending, investments and philanthropy through community benefits agreements negotiated with NCRC. We also serve as watchdogs, analyzing essential data to identify misbehaving financial institutions in our member communities.
What is the CRA?
The CRA is a law that requires banks to serve the credit needs of communities where they take deposits, including low- and moderate-income communities. The law was passed in 1977 to reverse redlining patterns, and promotes neighborhood revitalization. CRA makes wealth building more accessible by creating access to responsible home ownership opportunities, basic banking services, and capital for small businesses. The CRA also calls on banks to support affordable housing, small business development, social services and neighborhood stabilization in low- and moderate-income communities. Since its inception, advocates such as NCRC, have used the CRA to secure trillions of reinvestment dollars for underserved communities.
Click here for a manual on the CRA and here to learn more about the CRA’s widespread benefits.
Community Reinvestment Summits
NCRC hosts community reinvestment summits where stakeholders get together to discuss the most important issues facing their community and how to productively address them through working in coalitions. We have recently convened summits in Oregon, Ohio, Delaware, Maryland, and Louisiana.
How can you use the CRA?
NCRC offers crucial support to our members on how to use the CRA. NCRC provides research on bank behavior in your community, strategic consulting on how to approach banks, and other assistance to our members that increases their power to create positive outcomes for the neighborhoods they serve. We have brought hundreds of community groups into community benefits agreements with financial institutions.
Please contact NCRC for more information and to learn about the benefits of NCRC membership.
Policy Work
NCRC also works with legislators and regulators to strengthen the CRA, so that underserved communities have greater access to credit and capital.
Recent news on CRA:
NCRC applauds Administration’s Announced Move to Rescind Disastrous Trump-era CRA Rule Changes
Today, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced it will propose to rescind its controversial Trump-era rules weakening the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and work with other banking regulators to adopt a clear, strong and consistent update to the CRA. ...
Health Practitioners and Advocates Provide CRA Comments on Fed’s ANPR
Wealth equity is intrinsically tied to health equity. Hospitals and health systems are stepping into the community development arena more frequently as there are many opportunities for them to partner with banks and other financial institutions to reduce economic disparities that could reduce health disparities. ...
OCC Hits Pause On Disastrous 2020 CRA Rule Changes, Lawsuit Still Pending
Today, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced that the agency will halt further implementation of its 2020 Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) rule and will reconsider the rule in its entirety -- a necessary first step to reversing the Trump-era changes to the critical anti-redlining law. ...
OCC To Reconsider Disastrous 2020 CRA Rule Changes
Today, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced that they will halt the further implementation of the 2020 Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) rule and will reconsider the rule in its entirety -- a necessary first step to reversing the Trump-era changes to the critical anti-redlining law. ...
PNC Bank, NCRC announce $88 Billion community investment commitment
PNC Bank and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) announced today the creation of a four-year, $88 billion community benefits plan that will increase financial resources to low- and moderate-income (LMI) people and communities across the bank’s entire national footprint. ...
NCRC statement on American Housing and Economic Mobility Act of 2021 (S. 1368, H.R. 2768)
Strengthening and expanding the reach of the Community Reinvestment Act and duties to serve throughout the financial sector has to be at the forefront of policy questions about racial equity, the racial wealth gap and expanding financial inclusion for lower income communities. ...
Principles for CRA Reform: Strengthen Communities, Exams and Accountability
The following are principles of reform; if the agencies contradict or contravene these principles, we will oppose any additional regulatory changes just as we have opposed the OCC final rule. Reforming CRA must not become a pretext for relaxing CRA. ...
Some common views on CRA reform among community groups and industry, but differences need to be resolved
In a previous article, I described how some big issues on reforming the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) exposed a considerable difference of views among community groups and the banking industry. However, there was some convergence of views on a series of other important issues, including performance measures and ratings categories. On these issues, the remaining differences appear to be manageable. ...
