Washington, D.C., July 31, 2026 – David M. Dworkin, President and CEO of the National Housing Conference (NHC), issued the following statement regarding the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to amend Community Reinvestment Act regulations:
“The National Housing Conference strongly opposes the proposed rewrite of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) regulations. The proposal represents a deeply disappointing missed opportunity to build on nearly five decades of progress in expanding access to credit and investment. Instead, it would weaken support for affordable housing, reduce private-sector investment in underserved communities, and jeopardize funding for nonprofit organizations that help families, neighborhoods, and local economies thrive in urban, rural, and small-city markets alike.
CRA was enacted in response to a long history of discriminatory lending practices that denied many communities access to credit and investment. Those practices contributed to persistent disparities in homeownership, wealth creation, and neighborhood development that remain evident today. For nearly 50 years, CRA has helped ensure that banks meet the credit needs of the communities they serve by supporting affordable housing, small business development, and community-based organizations. Any significant changes to that framework should strengthen, not diminish, those longstanding objectives.
The proposal would make it more difficult for banks to receive CRA consideration for certain affordable housing and community development activities, particularly in smaller markets where access to capital is often limited. At a time when communities across the country face growing housing affordability challenges, policymakers should be encouraging, not discouraging, investment in housing and community development.
Regulatory policy should not become a pendulum that swings dramatically with each change in administration. Frequent, sweeping changes to the rules create uncertainty for financial institutions of every size, requiring them to invest significant time and resources updating compliance systems, retraining staff, and adjusting business practices. Those costs ultimately reduce the resources available to support lending, community development, and affordable housing. Lasting regulatory policy should be durable, transparent, and developed through a process that gives financial institutions and community organizations the confidence to make long-term investments.
A change of this magnitude should not move forward through only two banking regulators while the Federal Reserve remains outside the process. Given the importance of CRA to communities, financial institutions, and local economies nationwide, any significant revisions should include all three federal banking regulators, robust public engagement, and careful congressional oversight.
NHC urges the OCC and FDIC to withdraw the proposal and work collaboratively with the Federal Reserve, Congress, financial institutions, community organizations, and other stakeholders to develop any future CRA reforms through a transparent, inclusive process. At a time when the nation faces significant housing affordability challenges, policymakers should be focused on creating a stable, durable regulatory framework that encourages long-term investment, expands access to responsible credit, and strengthens communities. Preserving a strong and effective Community Reinvestment Act remains essential to achieving those goals.”
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About the National Housing Conference (NHC): Founded in 1931, the National Housing Conference is the oldest and broadest housing coalition in America. NHC is a diverse continuum of affordable housing stakeholders who convene and collaborate through dialogue, advocacy, research, and education, to develop equitable solutions that serve our common interest—an America where everyone is able to live in a quality, affordable home in a thriving community. Politically diverse and nonpartisan, NHC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. To learn more about NHC, visit www.nhc.org.