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Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)


Regulation BB implements the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA), which requires that the federal regulators of banks and thrifts encourage those institutions to help meet the credit needs of the local communities in which they are chartered. The CRA directs the regulatory agencies to assess each institution's record in meeting the credit needs of its entire community, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with safe and sound operations. The CRA also directs the agencies to take these records into account in evaluating the institutions' applications for deposit facilities, such as a merger with another bank.

Regulation BB implements these requirements and addresses a variety of related matters, including the collection, maintenance, and reporting of data about an institution's performance in meeting the credit needs of its community and the institution's public disclosure of materials evaluating or commenting on its performance. The other three federal bank and thrift regulatory agencies have promulgated regulations substantially identical to Regulation BB.

Announcements

Banking Agencies Issue Final Community Reinvestment Act Rulesoffsite link
The federal banking agencies approved final Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) rules that are intended to reduce regulatory burden on community banks while making CRA evaluations more effective in encouraging banks to meet community development needs.

Community Reinvestment Act Statuteoffsite link
The Act of 1977, and updatesoffsite link from FIRREA in 1989 and GLB in 1999.

CRA Regulations
Regulations that implement the CRA issued by the four regulatory agencies:

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB)offsite link
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)offsite link
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)offsite link
Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS)offsite link

Interagency Questions & Answersoffsite link
Answers to questions pertaining to CRA regulations, provided by the agencies.

Public Evaluations
Performance evaluations and CRA ratings made public. To find out which agency regulates the institution you're looking for, or to obtain CRA ratings, visit the FFIEC Web site.offsite link

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB)offsite link
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)offsite link
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)offsite link
Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS)offsite link

Examination Procedures

  • Large Institutions

  • Small Institutions

  • Limited Purpose and Wholesale Institutions

  • Institutions with Strategic Plans

  • Exam Schedules
    View the upcoming CRA exams for financial institutions.

    FRBoffsite link
    FDICoffsite link
    OCCoffsite link
    OTSoffsite link

    Applications Information
    Applications that have been submitted to the agencies.

    FRBoffsite link
    FDICoffsite link
    OCCoffsite link
    OTSoffsite link

 
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