Wolters Kluwer Names CIBC Bank USA the Winner of the 2025 Community Impact Award

CIBC Bank’s neighborhood stabilization and affordable housing efforts honored at CRA & Fair Lending Colloquium

Wolters Kluwer Financial & Corporate Compliance has named Chicago-based CIBC Bank USA the 2025 Community Impact Award winner. The announcement was made at the company’s 29th annual CRA & Fair Lending Colloquium held Nov. 16–19 at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. Award winners demonstrate creativity, impact, and economic sustainability in their community reinvestment programs.

CIBC Bank USA was recognized for The CIBC Housing Initiative, a program designed to stabilize neighborhoods by rehabilitating vacant, foreclosed, and abandoned single-family homes in low- to moderate-income areas. The initiative, which expands homeownership opportunities by providing flexible financing to developers and non-profits, ultimately fostering safe and habitable living environments in underserved communities, has been active in Chicago and Milwaukee, and is available to communities in other markets including Detroit, Palm Beach, San Francisco, and St. Louis.

“We are honored to recognize CIBC Bank USA for its outstanding commitment to revitalizing communities and expanding access to affordable housing,” said Simon Moir, Vice President, Banking Compliance Solutions. “Its innovative financing model and dedication to partnering with local developers have made a tangible difference in stabilizing neighborhoods and supporting local economies.”

The CIBC Housing Initiative was created in response to the mortgage crisis, providing funding for the acquisition and rehabilitation of vacant, foreclosed, and abandoned single-family homes in underserved communities. The program targets small-scale developers who may lack access to traditional bank financing but possess the expertise to successfully rehabilitate homes.

The initiative features a unique financing model that lends up to 80% of a home’s post-completion appraised value, offers competitive rates, covers legal and inspection costs, and advances half the construction budget at closing, making projects feasible for local developers. The program partners with local developers to revitalize communities, comprehensively rehabilitate homes, and ensure long-term stability for new homeowners.

“By focusing on comprehensive rehabilitation and compliance with building codes, this initiative transforms individual homes and stabilizes communities—one property at a time,” says Beth Witczak, head of CIBC US Community Development. “Our program also aligns with broader efforts to enhance affordable housing access, offering first-time homebuyers tailored mortgage products with fixed-rate options for a smoother transition into homeownership. We are thrilled to earn this recognition for the impact our Housing Initiative is making in people’s everyday lives.”

The Community Impact Award is sponsored by Banzai Inc., which provides financial literacy education at no cost for schools and communities.

About Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer (EURONEXT: WKL) is a global leader in information, software solutions, and services for professionals in healthcare, tax and accounting, financial and corporate compliance, legal and regulatory, corporate performance, and ESG. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with technology and services.

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"By focusing on comprehensive rehabilitation and compliance with building codes, this initiative transforms individual homes and stabilizes communities—one property at a time,” says Beth Witczak, head of CIBC US Community Development.