The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) requires lenders "to help meet the credit needs of the local communities in which they are chartered, consistent with the safe and sound operation of such institutions.'' For proponents of efficient markets, the CRA is a threat to lender profitability. For...

In 2009, banks became the reluctant holders of more than 1,500 foreclosed properties in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Most of these houses are in Cleveland, worth little to nothing, and in danger of remaining vacant for the foreseeable future - destined to define neighborhood decay.

In a speech at the REO and Vacant Property Strategies for Neighborhood Stabilization Summit, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President and CEO Sandra Pianalto discussed the weak housing market in her region and some of the ideas that have emerged from the Bank's research and outreach efforts...

When CRA officers gather with their examiners, the top question they ask is whether their activity qualifies for CRA purposes. This Community Development Decision Flow Chart can help answer that question.

In August 2005, a joint ruling by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency made several changes to the rules implementing the Community Reinvestment Act.

The Community Affairs Office of the Dallas Fed has revised A Banker's Quick Reference Guide to CRA. The publication is a tool for quickly accessing information about CRA regulation and examination procedures.

Four federal agencies conduct CRA examinations and enforce CRA regulations. They are the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Office of Thrift Supervision.

This article highlights popular Community Reinvestment Act websites of interest to bankers, community groups and others engaged in the CRA.