Majority-minority census tracts (MMCTs) and low- and moderate-income (LMI) census tracts are sometimes treated as interchangeable in fair lending and CRA analysis. They are not. MMCTs measure race and ethnicity composition, while LMI tracts measure income levels. Understanding where they overlap and where they do not overlap is fundamental to building a defensible fair lending […]
For many financial institutions, community development (CD) activity is not missed because lending teams lack effort. It is missed because CRA loan identification often depends on fragmented processes, inconsistent escalation practices, and manual recognition late in the lending lifecycle. CRA and CD loan identification is the process institutions use to identify loans that may qualify […]
For many banks, the Community Reinvestment Act is less about statutory language and more about how performance is evaluated, documented, and explained. It includes examination outcomes, public ratings, and regulatory decisions tied to growth activities such as mergers, acquisitions, and branch expansion. This guide is designed to give you a clear understanding of the Community […]
Originally published on November 24, 2025 following the CFPB’s proposed revisions to Section 1071. This article was updated on May 15, 2026 to reflect the finalized rule published in the Federal Register on May 1, 2026. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized revisions to its Section 1071 small business lending rule on May 1, […]
CRA and fair lending compliance in 2026 reflects a possible shift in federal enforcement posture, not a change in a financial institution’s underlying legal and compliance obligations. Executive actions and regulatory updates have altered how federal agencies approach enforcement, but the statutes and good governance principles regarding fair lending and CRA remain in effect. For […]
In its January 5, 2026 release, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) identified 15 institutions rated “Outstanding” among Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) performance evaluations made public in December 2025. Across these evaluations, the OCC most often attributes “Outstanding” ratings to strong lending distribution results, community development activity framed as leadership or responsiveness, […]
On December 17, 2025, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) issued proposed guidance aimed at simplifying the strategic plan process under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) for community banks. The proposal, accompanied by an 80+-page supplemental guidance document, seeks to clarify expectations for measurable goals and the components required for regulatory approval. […]
Short regulatory comment periods are becoming more common across federal financial regulation. For financial institutions, preparing for short comment periods means having predefined governance, accessible data, and cross-functional coordination in place before a proposal is formally released so that meaningful, evidence-based feedback can be submitted within compressed timelines. When the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) […]
The landscape of fair lending is shifting beneath our feet. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) proposed amendments to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) have reignited the long-standing debate over whether fair lending rules should focus on a lender’s intent, or the resulting impact on protected class groups. The proposal challenges long-held assumptions about […]
During RiskExec Connect 2025, RiskExec’s annual half-day virtual event, senior leaders across compliance, risk, and banking gathered to make sense of a fast-changing regulatory environment. Enforcement priorities are shifting, AI utilization is growing within financial services institutions, and state regulators are stepping forward to fill new roles. The virtual event featured some of the most […]
Federal oversight may be loosening, but compliance risk remains. As 2026 approaches, financial institutions continue to navigate an uneven landscape in which enforcement priorities change with political winds, and state regulators continue to gradually expand their authority. At RiskExec’s annual virtual event, RiskExec Connect 2025, Erik Pieczkowski, CEO of RiskExec, and Andy Sandler, CEO and […]
Artificial intelligence has become essential to how financial institutions manage compliance, assess credit, and evaluate risk. Throughout RiskExec’s virtual event RiskExec Connect 2025, one theme stood out: AI is transforming compliance, but responsibility cannot be automated. As automation and data analytics reshape financial services, regulators and executives are focusing on the same challenge—how to maintain […]