WASHINGTON – Four credit unions around the country have been recognized for their mortgage lending by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. While none of the four credit unions were big enough to have their lending recognized at the national level, each was among the 25 best lenders in their own localities. America's Best and Worst Lenders: A Consumers' Guide to Lending in 25 Metropolitan Areas, is a comprehensive ranking of lending institutions in 25 metropolitan areas during 2000 and 2001, the organization said. Best and Worst Lenders ranks banks, thrifts, mortgage companies and credit unions based on the percentage of home purchase and refinance loans they made to minorities, women, and low- and moderate-income borrowers and neighborhoods. The NCRC said it included credit unions because it overall backed credit unions as a strong consumer option in borrowing. In 2002, the non-profit sued the NCUA over the way the agency addressed the controversial Community Action Plan regulation. The court has not yet ruled in the suit. The four credit unions included the $1.3 billion Portland Teachers Credit Union, which was found to be the best mortgage lender in Portland, Oregon. The $17 billion Navy Federal showed up on two lists, that of San Diego, California and Washington D.C. The $728 million Sandia Laboratories FCU, based in Albuquerque, N.M. made the list for its community, as did the $1.1 billion Community Credit Union, based in Plano, Texas. Portland Teachers beat out such nationwide lenders as Bank of America, Fleet National Bank and National City Mortgage Company. NCRC ranked the credit union as best in Portland in loans to female borrowers and in loans made in census tracts that have been identified as primarily minority. "Of course we are thrilled to be able to offer this service to our members and to our communities," said Mary Jane Campbell, senior vice president for member services for the credit union. Portland Teachers draws its 145,000 members from among the educational and non-profit communities in a five-county area around Portland, Campbell explained. Given the high degree of women in education, Campbell said she was not surprised that the credit union made many loans to women. She also credited the credit union's first-time buyer program for having been particularly useful to minority and women homebuyers. "Our first time buyer programs are well known in the communities we serve," she said.