{"id":280278,"date":"2026-02-02T12:24:50","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T17:24:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/?p=280278"},"modified":"2026-02-02T12:29:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T17:29:49","slug":"alert-occ-proposal-puts-hundreds-of-millions-of-community-development-dollars-at-risk-per-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/alert-occ-proposal-puts-hundreds-of-millions-of-community-development-dollars-at-risk-per-year\/","title":{"rendered":"ALERT: OCC Proposal Puts Hundreds of Millions of Community Development Dollars at Risk Per Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"280278\" class=\"elementor elementor-280278\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-215f5a73 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"215f5a73\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b228d8a elementor-widget elementor-widget-off-canvas\" data-id=\"b228d8a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;entrance_animation&quot;:&quot;slideInDown&quot;,&quot;exit_animation&quot;:&quot;slideInDown&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"off-canvas.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"off-canvas-b228d8a\" class=\"e-off-canvas\" role=\"dialog\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-label=\"Off-Canvas\" aria-modal=\"true\" inert=\"\" data-delay-child-handlers=\"true\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"e-off-canvas__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"e-off-canvas__main\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-off-canvas__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-122eaa5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"122eaa5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;gradient&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cd42bcd elementor-view-default elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon\" data-id=\"cd42bcd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-icon\" href=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Doff_canvas%3Aclose%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6ImIyMjhkOGEiLCJkaXNwbGF5TW9kZSI6ImNsb3NlIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-times\" viewBox=\"0 0 352 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M242.72 256l100.07-100.07c12.28-12.28 12.28-32.19 0-44.48l-22.24-22.24c-12.28-12.28-32.19-12.28-44.48 0L176 189.28 75.93 89.21c-12.28-12.28-32.19-12.28-44.48 0L9.21 111.45c-12.28 12.28-12.28 32.19 0 44.48L109.28 256 9.21 356.07c-12.28 12.28-12.28 32.19 0 44.48l22.24 22.24c12.28 12.28 32.2 12.28 44.48 0L176 322.72l100.07 100.07c12.28 12.28 32.2 12.28 44.48 0l22.24-22.24c12.28-12.28 12.28-32.19 0-44.48L242.72 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-efffd06 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"efffd06\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b471072 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b471072\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Complete the form to download the pdf:<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6814e06 elementor-button-align-stretch elementor-widget elementor-widget-form\" data-id=\"6814e06\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;step_next_label&quot;:&quot;Next&quot;,&quot;step_previous_label&quot;:&quot;Previous&quot;,&quot;button_width&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;step_type&quot;:&quot;number_text&quot;,&quot;step_icon_shape&quot;:&quot;circle&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"form.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<form class=\"elementor-form\" method=\"post\" name=\"New Form\" aria-label=\"New Form\">\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"post_id\" value=\"280278\"\/>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"form_id\" value=\"6814e06\"\/>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"referer_title\" value=\"\" \/>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-form-fields-wrapper elementor-labels-above\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-type-text elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-group-field_d274b14 elementor-col-100\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input size=\"1\" type=\"text\" name=\"form_fields[field_d274b14]\" id=\"form-field-field_d274b14\" class=\"elementor-field elementor-size-sm  elementor-field-textual\" placeholder=\"First Name\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-type-text elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-group-field_37dc9cf elementor-col-100 elementor-field-required elementor-mark-required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input size=\"1\" type=\"text\" name=\"form_fields[field_37dc9cf]\" id=\"form-field-field_37dc9cf\" class=\"elementor-field elementor-size-sm  elementor-field-textual\" placeholder=\"Last Name\" required=\"required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-type-email elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-group-email elementor-col-100 elementor-field-required elementor-mark-required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input size=\"1\" type=\"email\" name=\"form_fields[email]\" id=\"form-field-email\" class=\"elementor-field elementor-size-sm  elementor-field-textual\" placeholder=\"Email\" required=\"required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-type-text elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-group-field_31e3e7e elementor-col-100 elementor-field-required elementor-mark-required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input size=\"1\" type=\"text\" name=\"form_fields[field_31e3e7e]\" id=\"form-field-field_31e3e7e\" class=\"elementor-field elementor-size-sm  elementor-field-textual\" placeholder=\"Organization\/Company Name\" required=\"required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-type-text elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-group-field_5e53299 elementor-col-100 elementor-field-required elementor-mark-required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<input size=\"1\" type=\"text\" name=\"form_fields[field_5e53299]\" id=\"form-field-field_5e53299\" class=\"elementor-field elementor-size-sm  elementor-field-textual\" placeholder=\"Zip Code\" required=\"required\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-type-acceptance elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-group-field_6521488 elementor-col-100\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-subgroup\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-field-option\">\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"form_fields[field_6521488]\" id=\"form-field-field_6521488\" class=\"elementor-field elementor-size-sm  elementor-acceptance-field\" checked=\"checked\">\n\t\t\t\t<label for=\"form-field-field_6521488\">Yes, send me updates by email about NCRC research, events and news.<\/label>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-field-group elementor-column elementor-field-type-submit elementor-col-100 e-form__buttons\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"elementor-button elementor-size-sm\" type=\"submit\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Download Now<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/form>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bdd9387 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"bdd9387\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Doff_canvas%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6ImIyMjhkOGEiLCJkaXNwbGF5TW9kZSI6Im9wZW4ifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Download<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5993077 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"5993077\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2ce7e32 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2ce7e32\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The OCC is currently taking comments on proposed guidance intended to simplify how banks use the strategic plan option for their Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) performance evaluations. The OCC is proposing benchmarks for loans and investments that the OCC would consider as Satisfactory or Outstanding levels of community development financing. The OCC is setting the bar far too low which could result in significant declines in bank financing devoted to affordable housing, community development financial institutions (CDFIs), and economic revitalization.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ebbd5e8 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"ebbd5e8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e6fc539 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e6fc539\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b><span lang=\"EN\">Comments on the OCC\u2019s proposed strategic plan guidance are due February 20<sup>th<\/sup>.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3272 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3272\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The OCC is proposing that as little as .12% to .24% of assets dedicated to community development loans and investments per year is enough to pass CRA exams, which is well below current levels.\u00a0<\/strong>NCRC analyzed data released by the Federal Reserve, the most comprehensive public database of CRA exam results, and found that the median of annual community development loans and investments was .7% of assets for OCC regulated banks below $30 billion in assets, and .64% for banks below $1 billion, from 2016 through 2020.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>If already in place, community development financing would have decreased by nearly $100 million a year if just 10% of OCC-regulated banks near median performance dropped down to .24% of assets, resulting in a billion dollars less over a decade.\u00a0<\/strong>Significantly more community development financing would be at risk if more banks decide to opt into strategic plan goals using the OCC\u2019s weak benchmarks. Banks that do not pursue strategic plans may also point to this guidance to justify decreasing their community development financing.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The OCC offers no improvements to the outdated process for gathering public input on strategic plans.\u00a0<\/strong>Currently, banks are only required to post notices about draft strategic plans in newspapers before the plan is finalized. These notices are largely placed in trade papers that are not widely read by the public and nonprofit organizations active in community development, resulting in minimal opportunities for stakeholders to weigh in on how banks will serve their communities.\u00a0\u00a0The OCC could post draft plans on its website and encourage banks to post draft strategic plans online to better facilitate public participation. The lack of attention to such an obviously outdated way of gathering public input indicates that community involvement in the development of strategic plans is not a priority for the OCC.<\/p><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>NCRC is happy to help your organization with preparing your own comment letter to push back on this harmful proposal. <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/documents\/2025\/12\/22\/2025-23547\/community-reinvestment-act-simplified-strategic-plan-process-for-community-banks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Click here for the full proposal and instructions on how to submit comments.<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-608c95d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"608c95d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[]}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f43cdde elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f43cdde\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Please contact Kevin Hill at\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"mailto:khill@ncrc.org\"><strong>khill@ncrc.org<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u00a0for more information.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Complete the form to download the pdf: Yes, send me updates by email about NCRC research, events and news. Download Now Complete the form to download the pdf: Download The OCC is currently taking comments on proposed guidance intended to simplify how banks use the strategic plan option for their Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) performance [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":932,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_angie_page":false,"content-type":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"page_builder":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1046],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-280278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-testimony"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"NCRC","author_link":""},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Complete the form to download the pdf: Yes, send me updates by email about NCRC research, events and news. Download Now Complete the form to download the pdf: Download The OCC is currently taking comments on proposed guidance intended to simplify how banks use the strategic plan option for their Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) performance&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/280278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/932"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=280278"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/280278\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=280278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=280278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=280278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}