East West Bank is considered a small bank compared to most of its competitors and thus cannot have the broad reach or impact of its larger competitors. For that reason, we choose to focus our CRA activities in areas that represent the most pressing needs of the communities we serve and that are in areas where we can make the most meaningful contribution.

General Focus – The Bank’s CRA philosophy is centered around three basic community reinvestment areas:  acceptable quality of life, small business lending and financial education.  The Bank is examined under the Interagency Large Institution CRA Procedures with the lending test weighted more heavily than the others.  

CRA Lending Focus

Acceptable Quality of Life and Small Business Credit

The Bank was founded to help those without current banking relationships and new immigrants. This remains a primary focus.  We have always had special programs for people with little or no credit history.  In 1995, the Bank primarily focused on commercial lending. We continue to extend loans to individuals and small- to medium-sized businesses.  The Bank believes that such loans are the best direct CRA qualifying lending opportunities which exist in its assessment areas.  Although the Bank makes every effort to provide credit within its assessment areas, community development projects that have a statewide reach within California are also given consideration.  The following are “focus areas” for all assessment areas, subject to regular review and revision:

• Community development and redevelopment lending opportunities such as:
  1. affordable multi-family housing financing.
  2. projects with direct economic benefit in the low- and moderate-income areas.
  3. construction financing for affordable rental or ownership housing development.
  4. loans to businesses located within established enterprise, empowerment, revitalization or redevelopment zones.
• Small business loans (as defined by the CRA) are made through its commercial lending teams and branch network. In addition, Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loans are offered through the Bank’s SBA lending department.
• The Bank will continue its home mortgage lending efforts, although this is not a significant part of its loan portfolio.

Massachusetts Small Business Banking Partnership (SBBP)

The Bank is always supportive of programs that create jobs and stimulate economic growth in the local community.

Through the participation in the Massachusetts Treasurer’s Small Business Banking Partnership program, the Bank is fully utilizing the $5 Million Cash Deposits from the Massachusetts Treasury to lend to small businesses, which are the cornerstone of our economy. In addition to the Bank’s existing loan programs, a new Short Term Lending Program (STLP) is implemented to provide working capital financing to contractors and/or sub-contractors under the US DOT transportation related contracts. Another focus of these small business lending programs is to provide fair opportunities for minority-owned, women-owned and veteran owned small businesses.

Please feel free to contact the New England branches for details, or visit the following sites:

Massachusetts Small Business Banking Partnership

US DOT Short Term Lending Program