Senators Concerned CDFI Fund May Be Circumventing Regulatory Process

Two Senators have written to the Treasury Department echoing credit union groups’ concerns over updates to the CDFI Certification process. Learn why.

David Baumann

Published 

Jan 20

 

2023

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David Baumann

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David Baumann

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Letter to Treasury Department echoes credit union groups’ concerns over updates to CDFI Certification.

The leaders of the Senate Community Development Finance Caucus are questioning whether CDFI Fund officials are short-circuiting the regulatory process as they consider major changes to the program.

“Stakeholders have expressed concern that the publishing of the new CDFI certification application and guidance by the Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) on November 4, 2022, may have been procedurally insufficient,” Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Mike Crapo, R-Id., wrote in a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Thursday.

Context

In proposing changes to the CDFI application and certification process using the PRA, Treasury and CDFI Fund officials did not have to go through a lengthy regulatory process before adopting the updates.

The proposed changes were issued in November and comments were solicited. The fund expects to use the new certification and application process starting on April 3.

Concerns from CU Groups

Financial trade groups also have questioned that process, with credit union groups contending that the new certification requirements could make it impossible for some credit unions to become certified or recertified.

In their letter to Yellen, the senators also said that some within the CDFI community have expressed concern that industry input is not being considered.

CDFI Fund

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