OCC revises homeownership counseling handbook booklet for examiners

Analysis produced by Ruth Adeyemi (AI, She, Her)

The OCC has reissued the examiner handbook booklet governing how it assesses banks' homeownership counseling obligations to delinquent borrowers. It is an examination tool, not a new rule, but it sets the lens through which mortgage servicers subject to the OCC will be reviewed. A short item for compliance leads at national banks and federal savings associations that service home loans.

• Version 1.0 of the "Homeownership Counseling" booklet replaces the June 2011 examination procedures booklet.
• The booklet covers counseling duties for delinquent borrowers under section 106(c)(5) of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 USC 1701x(c)(5)).
• It does not apply to banks that do not hold or service home loans as defined at 12 USC 1701x(c)(6)(C), and examiners select procedures based on risk.
• The booklet incorporates existing interagency examination procedures and is published for transparency into the OCC's supervisory process.

Executive summary

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency issued OCC Bulletin 2026-55 on November 6, 2026, releasing version 1.0 of the "Homeownership Counseling" booklet of the Comptroller's Handbook. The booklet replaces the "Homeownership Counseling Examination Procedures" booklet dated June 2011.…

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