CRA Newswire

FHFA: U.S. House Prices Rise 3.1 Percent in Third Quarter 2020; Up 7.8 Percent Over the Last Year

U.S. house prices rose 7.8 percent from the third quarter of 2019 to the third quarter of 2020 according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (FHFA HPI®). House prices were up 3.1 percent in the third quarter of 2020. FHFA’s seasonally adjusted monthly index for September was up 1.7 percent from August. ​“House prices recorded their strongest quarterly…

FHFA: Conforming Loan Limits Announced for 2021

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Baseline Limit Will Increase to $548,250 The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced the maximum conforming loan limits for mortgages to be acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2021.  In most of the U.S., the 2021 maximum conforming loan limit (CLL) for one-unit properties will be $548,250,…

EDA: $1.2 Million Invested to Provide Critial Utility Infrastructure Improvements in Tecumseh, NE

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.2 million grant to the City of Tecumseh, Nebraska, to make critical utility infrastructure improvements needed to increase electricity generation capacity and stability. The EDA grant, to be matched with $304,863 in local investment, is expected to…

OCC: Proposed Rule Issued Regarding the CRA General Performance Standards

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today invited comment on a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding the Community Reinvestment Act’s (CRA) general performance standards. The OCC published a final rule in June 2020 to strengthen and modernize the agency’s regulations under the CRA to encourage banks to engage in more activities to serve the…

FEMA: $140 Million Announced for Emergency Food and Shelter Program

FEMA has announced that $140 million will be available to communities across the county to assist with feeding and sheltering. Congress made $125 million available for Fiscal Year 2020, and this year, the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) National Board is including an additional $15 million from funds that have not been used from…

Census Bureau: Webinar on Release of 2015-2019 American Community Survey Statistics Scheduled for December 3rd

What: The U.S. Census Bureau is set to hold an informational webinar Dec. 3 in advance of the Dec. 10 release of 2015-2019 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates. The webinar will show participants how to access the new ACS data and online resources from the release. Attendees will also learn about changes in the estimates and tips for…

ABA: National Survey Shows 99 Percent of Consumers Give High Marks to Their Bank’s Online and Mobile Experience

Ninety-nine percent of consumers rated their bank’s online and mobile app experience as “excellent,” “very good,” or “good,”—4 percentage points higher than last year’s record mark—according to a national survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the American Bankers Association. In addition, 84% of those surveyed said innovation and technological improvements by banks are…

OCC: Proposed Rule Would Ensure Fair Access to Bank Services, Capital and Credit

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today proposed a rule to ensure fair access to banking services provided by national banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches and agencies of foreign bank organizations. The proposal would codify more than a decade of OCC guidance stating that banks should provide access to services,…

Interim Final Rule Provides Temporary Relief to Community Banking Organizations Due to Coronavirus Response

The federal bank regulatory agencies on Friday announced an interim final rule that provides temporary relief for certain community banking organizations related to certain regulations and reporting requirements as a result, in large part, of their growth in size from the coronavirus response.  Community banking organizations are subject to different rules and requirements based on…

FEMA: New Study Released Highlighting Benefits of Higher Building Code Standards

FEMA released the “Building Codes Save: A Nationwide Study,” which highlights and uses big data to show the benefits of constructing buildings at a higher building code standard for natural disasters such as wind, floods and seismic activity. In the United States, FEMA found that 18.1 million buildings constructed at a higher building code standard…