CCLF YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025 CHALLENGES AND TRIUMPHS

February 24, 2026

As we look back on 2025, the year clearly tested the resilience and resolve of CCLF. The real estate lending environment was marked by persistent headwinds – uncertain and elevated construction costs, reductions in key federal programs, and broader market volatility that challenged projects at every stage. Yet, in the face of these obstacles, CCLF and its staff met the moment head on.

Our success in 2025 was grounded in fundamentals that always have defined our work: deep knowledge of the communities we serve, close and collaborative relationships with our borrowers, and an unwavering focus on our mission. By staying flexible, responsive, and solutions-oriented, our team helped borrowers navigate a difficult landscape and move critical projects forward. Among its many accomplishments, CCLF provided financing to support the revitalization of 42 units of affordable housing by one developer in South Shore; the construction of a facility for a nonprofit offering housing counseling services to first-time homebuyers; the development of a community center in Washington Park; and the creation of 34 units of affordable housing in Aurora.

The results speak for themselves. We closed the year having deployed $34.5 million in loans – our second-best year ever – demonstrating both strong demand and disciplined execution. This financing helped create or preserve 303 units of housing, supported 313 jobs, and facilitated the development of 104,175 square feet of commercial and community facility space.

Portfolio performance remained solid, with delinquency at a very low 3%, reflecting the strength of our underwriting and the ongoing engagement with our borrowers. We continued to invest in capacity-building, delivering more than 50 workshops and training sessions to more than 1,200 attendees to support long-term project and organizational success.

Over its 35-year history, CCLF has closed 696 loans, totaling $423 million in financing for community development initiatives. In turn, this financing has leveraged an additional $2.16 billion in public and private sector capital for community revitalization. CCLF’s financing has created or retained 13,102 housing units, 8,091 jobs and has developed 13.4 million sq. ft. of community facility or commercial retail space.

2025 reinforced an important truth: challenging conditions make mission-driven lenders more essential, not less. We are proud of what our staff, partners, and borrowers accomplished together, and we carry this momentum forward as we continue working to expand access to capital and opportunity in all the communities we serve.