Hurricane Maria

SBA plan to share disaster-relief lending role is a bust

04/11/18

A plan to bring in banks was created right after last summer’s hurricane devastation, but the magnitude of those storms, government dawdling on the issue and lenders’ reluctance to participate are key reasons zero loans have been made under the program.

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Amid hurricane recovery, Popular rebrands itself

04/09/18

It’s still not business as usual, but the decision to unify its two brands — Popular Community Bank on the U.S. mainland, Banco Popular in the U.S. territories — under a single, simpler name is a welcome sign that Puerto Rico’s largest bank is moving forward after the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

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Wells Fargo to sell auto finance unit in Puerto Rico to Popular

02/14/18

Popular will acquire $1.5 billion in auto loans amid questions about the potential for loan losses following Hurricane Maria. The deal also coincides with Wells Fargo's need to stay inside a growth cap imposed by regulators.

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Fannie's $3.7B drawdown not as bad as it looks, CEO says

02/14/18

Tax reform caused Fannie Mae to burn through retained earnings that had been approved just two months ago and to post a fourth-quarter loss. CEO Timothy Mayopoulos argued it was a one-time event that overshadowed strong fundamentals.

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Banks outside Hurricane Maria's path still qualify for CRA credit

01/25/18

Regulators said they were taking steps to recognize contributions to the recovery made by banks anywhere in the nation.

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After the storm: The impact of recent hurricanes

01/04/18

American Banker comprehensively covered the impact hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria had on banks and their customers, including on-the-ground reporting and analysis.

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E-commerce, rebuilding disaster areas could drive CRE lending in 2018

12/27/17

Consumers’ desire to shop online is creating huge demand for distribution centers and forcing property owners to think creatively about redeveloping vacant retail space. Meanwhile, hundreds of billions of dollars will be spent rebuilding areas hard hit by hurricanes and wildfires.

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Puerto Rican banks fear customer evacuation may be permanent

12/07/17

After tackling immediate problems, such as accessing electricity and arranging cash deliveries, bankers are facing a longer-term concern: What if customers who fled the island after Hurricane Maria don’t come back?

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SBA launches program to let banks fast-track disaster relief

11/28/17

The pilot could help the agency improve its image after past criticism of slow responses to catastrophes.

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Fannie Mae keeping an eye on servicers' hurricane response

11/02/17

Fannie Mae servicers are facing pressure from the recent hurricanes, but so far are bearing up under the strain.

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