NCUA official seal. Credit/NCUA
The NCUA will hold a virtual public hearing on Sept. 23 to consider Dade County Federal Credit Union’s proposal to expand its community charter across four South Florida counties — Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe — encompassing more than 6.2 million residents.
The Sweetwater, Fla.-based credit union currently serves Miami-Dade and Broward Counties and is seeking to add Palm Beach and Monroe, citing a mission to improve financial access for underserved and low-income communities.
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The expansion request triggered additional scrutiny under the NCUA’s Chartering and Field of Membership Manual, which requires a hearing for proposed service areas that span multiple political jurisdictions with populations exceeding 2.5 million.
But the agency’s ability to approve the application may face complications beyond the hearing process.
The NCUA is currently embroiled in a high-profile federal lawsuit over President Donald Trump’s controversial removal of Board Members Todd Harper and Tanya Otsuka earlier this year. That case, still pending before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenges the legality of the removals and could throw the legitimacy of any board actions, including field of membership approvals, into question.
If the court rules that Harper and Otsuka’s removals were unlawful, it could nullify or delay regulatory decisions made during their absence. That uncertainty could affect the outcome or timing of Dade County FCU’s charter application.
Stakeholders wishing to weigh in on the proposal must register to present or submit written comments by Aug. 26. Up to seven outside parties may present at the hearing alongside the applicant, with each allotted up to 30 minutes.
The NCUA said no decision on the application will be made until at least 30 days after the hearing, but legal challenges may extend that timeline further.
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Michael Ogden
Editor-in-Chief at CU Times. To connect, email at [email protected]. As Editor-in-Chief of CU Times since 2016, Michael Ogden has led the editorial team in all aspects of content strategy and execution, including the creation of the publication’s exclusive and proprietary research database of the credit union industry’s economic landscape. Under Michael’s leadership, CU Times has successfully shifted to an all-digital editorial product with new focuses on the payments, fraud, lending and regulatory beats. Most recently, he introduced a data-focused editorial product for subscribers that breaks down credit union issues into hard data, allowing for a deeper and more factual narrative for readers. In 2024, he launched the "Shared Accounts With CU Times" podcast, which offers a fresh, inside-the-newsroom perspective through interviews with leaders from the credit union industry and the regulatory world. He dives into pressing credit union issues, while revealing the personalities working behind-the-scenes to push the credit union world forward. His background includes years as a radio and TV anchor/reporter and a public relations and digital/social media manager, where he covered the food and music industries, as well as cooperatives and credit unions. Over the years, he has launched numerous exclusive video and podcast series, including a successful series of interactive backstage interviews with musicians at music festivals, showcasing his social media and live streaming production skills.
