This multiple case study explores factors that shaped the curricular reasoning of mathematics faculty engaged in college algebra reform in community colleges. Overall, the study found that although proposed reform of college algebra is broad in scope and influenced by the student audience, competing influences emerge that can enable or constrain faculty curricular reasoning, such as course transferability, departmental culture, and teaching norms. The findings of this study are useful to mathematics faculty and other stakeholders in the reform arena who want to understand and respond to competing influences as they engage in reform efforts in the community college context.