CRA Comment letters submitted during a bank's regular CRA examination. Woodstock Institute regularly comments on bank mergers throughout the Chicago region, and the nation. For information on a specific bank, please contact Woodstock Institute through the comment page.
Comment letter on the 1999 CRA examination of The Northern Trust Company strategic plan. Addresses the bank's low levels of lending, services, and investments in lower-income communities recommends that the Federal Reserve reject Northern Trust's 2000-2002 Strategic Plan.
Addendum to the 2002 CRA exam comment letter submitted regarding Banco Popular North America. The bank claimed that they make most of their lending through Equity One (a subprime lender) and an entity known as Banco Popular, N.A.
Comment letter submitted as part of the bank's 2004 CRA performance evaluation. Comments evaluate the bank's mortgage and small business lending to low- and moderate-income borrowers and communities; levels of grants and investments for community development organizations serving LMI communities; and access to bank branches in LMI communities.
Comment letter on the 2002 CRA examination of
Banco Popular NA. The letter discusses Banco Popular’s
basic checking account, which is more expensive and contains more
restrictions than accounts offered by other banks in the area.
The letter also expresses serious concern regarding Banco’s
invisibility in the home purchase and refinance lending markets. An
analysis of Banco Popular’s HMDA data shows the Bank made 2 home
purchase loans and only 1 refinance loan in its Illinois assessment
area in 2001.
Comment letter in reponse to E*TRADE Bank’s 2003 Needs to Improve CRA rating. As one of the largest banks to ever fail a CRA exam, the letter suggests that E*TRADE Bank should formulate a strong and appropriate response.
