Upcoming CRA Exams Upcoming Community Reinvestment Act Exams Federally regulated banks are examined periodically for compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act. The Act requires banks to help meet the credit needs of the people in the areas from which they draw their deposits, and specifies that this includes the needs of low income neighborhoods and communities. However, examiners also read the contents of public comment files at each bank, and can be influenced by such comments. This gives members of communities who feel their banking needs have been ignored an opportunity to gain the attention of the examiners. In addition to placing comments in the file at the bank, you can also send them directly to the agency responsible for the exam.
Some bankers care deeply what rating they receive.
AFSC-NH has seen banks improve their community lending practices as a direct result of our comments to regulators during CRA exams.