JOSH SILVER: ENDING REDLINING
On this episode of Big Blend Radio, longtime fair lending and CRA expert Josh Silver discusses his new book, Ending Redlining: Through a Community-Centered Reform of the Community Reinvestment Act (Armin Lear Press, March 25, 2025). With the first major overhaul of CRA rules in nearly three decades set to take effect in January 2026, Silver explains what these changes mean for banks, communities, and the future of economic justice. Watch here in the YouTube player or download the episode on Podbean.
The US Congress passed the CRA in 1977 with the objective of ending redlining, the decades-old practice of neighborhood discrimination by banks against African Americans and others based on race and income. The race-based rejection of loans to creditworthy residents of redlined neighborhoods delayed the American dream of homeownership and small business ownership for generations. Senator William Proxmire, the main Congressional sponsor of CRA, along with advocacy organizations, believed that segregated neighborhoods would not successfully revitalize themselves if banks continued to refuse to make loans in them. The CRA was devised to make banks accountable for serving the needs of entire communities. In the book, Silver addresses whether CRA is an effective response to racial injustice, has effectively empowered communities, led to federal agencies developing regulations that conform with and further the statutory objectives of CRA, and appropriately addressed and rectified market failures in our economy.
From the rise of online banking and cryptocurrency to the challenges of gentrification and housing affordability, Silver shares why a community-centered approach to banking reform is essential to ensuring fair lending and reinvestment in historically underserved neighborhoods. He also highlights the role of community banks, the power of documenting success stories, and how everyday citizens can take action to foster lasting change.
With decades of experience in the CRA and fair lending field, Josh Silver spent most of his time as VP of Research and Policy and as a Senior Fellow with NCRC.
Learn more about Josh Silver and his work:
Website: https://www.endredline.com/
Substack: https://joshsilver.substack.com/
