Lack of Accountability

Given the services they provide and their structure, credit unions should presumably adhere to stringent regulatory requirements — like banks do — and public disclosure requirements — like nonprofits do — but neither is the case. These substantial regulatory and disclosure gaps shield the credit union industry from proper scrutiny, which is a disservice to all Americans. This is especially problematic for those who support traditional, mission-driven credit unions facing competitive pressures from modern ones pursuing profits.

Expert Views

Josh Silver, National Community Reinvestment Coalition

The Community Reinvestment Act should be expanded to cover credit unions, other nonbank lenders and insurers, according to the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. Noting the growing share of nonbanks and credit unions in mortgage lending, NCRC Senior Policy Adviser Josh Silver argued that if nonbanks remain outside of CRA, “the competitive position of banks eventually will be undermined to the detriment of access to safe and sound credit and capital for LMI communities.”

— National Community Reinvestment Coalition, 2020

Todd Harper, Then-NCUA Board Member and Current NCUA Chairman

“Why should it take complex, federally insured credit unions with $500 million or more in assets seven or eight years longer to implement their comparable risk-based capital rule than it took for banks and thrifts to implement theirs? That’s an uneven regulatory playing field.”

Lack of Accountability

Expert Views

Recent News and Insights

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