§__.43(a)(1) – 2
Q: Is an institution required to respond to public comments?
A2. No. All institutions should review comments and complaints carefully to determine whether any response or other action is warranted. A small institution subject to the small institution performance standards is specifically evaluated on its record of taking action, if warranted, in response to written complaints about its performance in helping to meet the credit needs in its assessment area(s). See 12 CFR .26(b)(5). For all institutions, responding to comments may help to foster a dialogue with members of the community or to present relevant information to an institution’s supervisory Agency. If an institution responds in writing to a letter in the public file, the response must also be placed in that file, unless the response reflects adversely on any person or placing it in the public file violates a law.
Source: Interagency Questions & Answers Regarding Community Reinvestment | July 2016