California headquartered banks in the ranking hold $11.3 billion in construction and land loans within $124.7 billion of total commercial real estate loans. BestCRE ranks the banks by construction, land development and other land loans reported as of June 30, 2026. These balances come from FDIC Call Reports, formally the Reports of Condition and Income, schedule RC-C. The main California bank ranking uses total CRE loans, while this page isolates the construction and land category. That distinction matters because a bank with a large overall CRE portfolio may have a relatively small construction balance, while another institution may direct a larger share of its lending toward development and land exposure.
The ranked institutions are headquartered in California. They are part of a broader group of 111 state headquartered banks holding $183.2 billion in total CRE loans, up +7.4% year over year. The top five account for 37.8% of that state headquartered CRE balance. This is not a complete list of every lender available to a California borrower. Banks headquartered elsewhere can lend through California branches, and nonbank lenders do not report through bank call reports. The ranking is therefore best used as a factual starting point for identifying institutions with demonstrated construction and land balances, then comparing several potential capital sources for a specific property, location and borrower relationship.
California banks ranked by construction and land loans
| Rank | Bank | Headquarters | Total CRE loans ($M) | Construction and land ($M) | Multifamily ($M) | Owner occupied ($M) | Change, 1 year | CRE share of loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City National Bank | Los Angeles, CA | $16,549 | $2,834 | $2,698 | $4,414 | +5.7% | 23.9% |
| 2 | Banc of California | Los Angeles, CA | $11,904 | $1,867 | $5,882 | $1,509 | -11.4% | 47.4% |
| 3 | Axos Bank | San Diego, CA | $5,610 | $1,221 | $1,183 | $184 | +8.5% | 22.5% |
| 4 | East West Bank | Pasadena, CA | $21,796 | $814 | $4,606 | $3,434 | +5.6% | 37.0% |
| 5 | Preferred Bank | Los Angeles, CA | $3,830 | $671 | $586 | $227 | +10.2% | 61.0% |
| 6 | Poppy Bank | Santa Rosa, CA | $4,563 | $498 | $920 | $1,614 | +6.2% | 78.1% |
| 7 | Farmers and Merchants Bank of Long Beach | Long Beach, CA | $5,207 | $418 | $358 | $780 | -0.9% | 78.5% |
| 8 | Mechanics Bank | Walnut Creek, CA | $7,498 | $350 | $5,074 | $461 | +55.3% | 55.2% |
| 9 | SMBC MANUBANK | Los Angeles, CA | $1,331 | $342 | $181 | $202 | -18.5% | 49.6% |
| 10 | Cathay Bank | Los Angeles, CA | $9,893 | $308 | $2,587 | $1,962 | +4.7% | 48.0% |
| 11 | Tri Counties Bank | Chico, CA | $5,072 | $298 | $1,157 | $1,041 | +6.3% | 69.4% |
| 12 | West Coast Community Bank | Santa Cruz, CA | $1,768 | $259 | $242 | $417 | +7.2% | 77.8% |
| 13 | Community West Bank | Fresno, CA | $2,243 | $224 | $230 | $531 | +49.7% | 63.3% |
| 14 | Citizens Business Bank, N.A. | Ontario, CA | $9,149 | $214 | $1,235 | $2,823 | +43.6% | 76.1% |
| 15 | Bank of Hope | Los Angeles, CA | $8,920 | $213 | $1,144 | $3,138 | +4.6% | 59.3% |
| 16 | American Plus Bank, N.A. | Arcadia, CA | $711 | $179 | $46.2 | $41.9 | +10.6% | 88.4% |
| 17 | Avidbank | San Jose, CA | $1,074 | $164 | $281 | $197 | +5.0% | 48.3% |
| 18 | Royal Business Bank | Los Angeles, CA | $1,468 | $154 | $758 | $188 | +0.6% | 44.3% |
| 19 | Five Star Bank | Roseville, CA | $3,742 | $148 | $1,390 | $605 | +17.6% | 82.8% |
| 20 | California Bank of Commerce, N.A. | San Diego, CA | $2,326 | $134 | $286 | $664 | +4.8% | 74.8% |
Source: FDIC Call Reports as of June 30, 2026 (schedule RC-C). Dollar figures in millions. Change, 1 year compares total CRE loans with June 30, 2025. Bank names link to each bank’s FDIC record. Table shows the top 20 of 96 banks headquartered in California that hold this loan type.
City National Bank leads with $2.8 billion in construction and land loans, followed by Banc of California at $1.9 billion and Axos Bank at $1.2 billion. Their broader portfolios differ. City National reports $16.5 billion of total CRE loans, while Banc of California reports $11.9 billion and Axos reports $5.6 billion. East West Bank has the table’s largest total CRE book at $21.8 billion, but $813.7 million is in construction and land loans. Growth also varies sharply. Mechanics Bank reports +55.3% year over year CRE growth, Community West Bank reports +49.7%, and Citizens Business Bank, N.A. reports +43.6%. Banc of California reports -11.4%, while SMBC MANUBANK reports -18.5%. Concentration ranges from City National’s 1.08x investor CRE to equity ratio to Five Star Bank’s 5.94x, showing substantial differences in CRE exposure relative to capital.
Out of state banks with branches in California
| Bank | Headquarters state | Branches in California | Deposits in California ($M) | Total CRE loans, all states ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America, N.A. | North Carolina | 686 | $452,511 | $79,906 |
| Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. | South Dakota | 769 | $304,402 | $121,623 |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 857 | $297,741 | $179,847 |
| U.S. Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 563 | $115,115 | $50,718 |
| Citibank, N.A. | South Dakota | 271 | $67,927 | $26,036 |
| First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company | North Carolina | 54 | $53,887 | $38,808 |
| BMO Bank, N.A. | Illinois | 226 | $33,219 | $28,802 |
| Western Alliance Bank | Arizona | 11 | $20,650 | $15,781 |
| HSBC Bank USA, N.A. | Virginia | 6 | $19,585 | $1,637 |
| Fifth Third Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 85 | $19,580 | $33,581 |
Source: FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. Deposits and branches are for California only; CRE loans are bank wide.
The ranking is a starting point for a construction loan search
A larger construction and land balance shows that a bank already holds more loans in the category. Total CRE balance provides additional context about appetite and hold capacity across commercial property lending. City National Bank combines $2.8 billion in construction and land loans with $16.5 billion in total CRE loans. Banc of California combines $1.9 billion with $11.9 billion, while Axos Bank combines $1.2 billion with $5.6 billion. Those figures can help borrowers identify banks worth contacting, but they do not show whether a particular project will meet current underwriting requirements.
Borrowers should read the ranking alongside portfolio mix, year over year change, CRE share of total loans and investor CRE relative to equity. Growth can identify banks that are adding CRE balances, while concentration can signal that a bank may be selective about additional exposure. Bank lending is relationship driven and local, so headquarters, branch access and an existing deposit relationship can matter to the search process. A practical approach is to contact several banks whose reported balances and portfolio mix fit the proposed property, then compare the actual structures offered for that transaction.
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The construction ranking does not necessarily mirror total CRE scale. East West Bank reports $21.8 billion of total CRE loans, including $12.9 billion of investor nonfarm nonresidential loans and $4.6 billion of multifamily loans, compared with $813.7 million of construction and land loans. Banc of California reports $5.9 billion of multifamily loans within its $11.9 billion CRE portfolio. City National Bank has a more distributed mix, including $6.6 billion of investor nonfarm nonresidential loans, $4.4 billion of owner occupied loans and $2.7 billion of multifamily loans.
Concentration measures add a different perspective. CRE represents 23.9% of loans at City National Bank and 22.5% at Axos Bank, compared with 88.4% at American Plus Bank, N.A. and 82.8% at Five Star Bank. Investor CRE to equity is 1.08x at City National, 1.93x at Axos and 5.94x at Five Star. These ratios can be described as lower or higher relative to other banks in the table, but they do not establish current credit availability. They show how heavily each institution’s reported loan book and capital base are exposed to CRE.
California borrowers have options beyond state headquartered banks
Large banks headquartered elsewhere maintain substantial California branch and deposit networks. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., headquartered in Ohio, has 857 California branches and $297.7 billion of deposits in the state. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., headquartered in South Dakota, has 769 branches and $304.4 billion of California deposits. Bank of America, N.A., headquartered in North Carolina, has 686 branches and $452.5 billion of deposits in the state. Their total CRE balances are reported across all states, so those figures cannot be treated as California loan balances.
Other out of state institutions with California branches include U.S. Bank, N.A., BMO Bank, N.A., Western Alliance Bank and First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company. Borrowers can also compare debt funds, life companies, CMBS, agency and SBA lenders. Those nonbank sources do not appear in bank call reports and may evaluate transactions through different programs. Comparing several sources helps a borrower distinguish reported portfolio scale from the actual financing available for a particular project. The appropriate comparison should address the property type, development status, location, requested proceeds and the relationship requirements presented by each potential lender.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which California bank has the most construction and land loans?
City National Bank ranks first with $2.8 billion in construction, land development and other land loans as of June 30, 2026. The Los Angeles headquartered bank reports $16.5 billion of total CRE loans, including $2.7 billion of multifamily loans, $4.4 billion of owner occupied CRE loans and $6.6 billion of investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. Its CRE portfolio grew +5.7% year over year, and CRE represents 23.9% of total loans. The ranking reflects reported balances, not a judgment about loan terms, approval likelihood or suitability for a particular project.
How current is BestCRE’s California construction lender ranking?
The bank balances are as of June 30, 2026 and come from FDIC Call Reports, formally the Reports of Condition and Income, schedule RC-C. Branch and deposit information comes from the FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. Interest rate benchmarks are more recent, as of Oct 26, 2026: the Prime rate is 7.00%, SOFR is 3.89%, the 5 year Treasury is 4.78%, the 10 year Treasury is 4.96%, and Fed funds is 3.88%. These benchmarks provide market context but are not quoted construction loan rates from the ranked banks.
Which ranked bank has the largest total commercial real estate portfolio?
East West Bank has the largest total CRE portfolio in the ranked table at $21.8 billion and holds national rank 25. Its Pasadena headquartered portfolio includes $813.7 million in construction and land loans, $4.6 billion in multifamily loans, $3.4 billion in owner occupied CRE loans and $12.9 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. CRE represents 37.0% of its total loans, and reported CRE grew +5.6% year over year. City National Bank ranks first for construction and land lending even though its $16.5 billion total CRE book is smaller.
Which California banks reported the strongest CRE growth?
Mechanics Bank reports +55.3% year over year CRE growth, the highest rate shown in the ranked table. Community West Bank follows at +49.7%, while Citizens Business Bank, N.A. reports +43.6%. Five Star Bank reports +17.6%, and American Plus Bank, N.A. reports +10.6%. Growth describes the change in each bank’s total reported CRE balance, not just construction and land loans. It also does not establish that the bank is currently expanding every CRE category, market or borrower segment. The figures are most useful when considered with portfolio size, mix and concentration.
Does the ranking include every construction lender operating in California?
No. The ranking covers banks headquartered in California and orders them by reported construction, land development and other land loans. California has 111 state headquartered banks with $183.2 billion in total CRE loans. Banks headquartered elsewhere may also lend locally through branches. For example, U.S. Bank, N.A. has 563 California branches and $115.1 billion of deposits in the state, while BMO Bank, N.A. has 226 branches and $33.2 billion of deposits. Debt funds, life companies, CMBS, agency and SBA lenders are also outside the FDIC bank ranking.
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BestCRE rankings are editorially independent and built only from public regulatory filings; no bank pays for placement. Call report figures describe loans held on each bank’s balance sheet and do not show loan terms, rates or current appetite. BestCRE is not a lender and does not make loans. Benchmark rates are informational, not quotes. See our Legal Disclaimer and Compensation Disclosure.
