WASHINGTON – In the Summer 2005 edition of its Community Development newsletter, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has provided various perspectives and strategies on how the revised Home Mortgage Disclosure Act reporting requirements could improve mortgage lending opportunities for national banks. The newsletter describes key changes to HMDA and how pricing information can be used to identify mortgage lending opportunities; reviews the OCC's recent mortgage lending guidelines to prevent abusive and predatory lending practices; and discusses the advantages of banks of establishing partnerships with housing counseling agencies. The Summer 2005 issue also identifies non-traditional ways to establish a borrower's creditworthiness. OCC Comptroller John Dugan said mortgage pricing data that's reported under the new HMDA rules, can be a beneficial tool for banks committed to shaping financial products and services to fit the needs of all of their customers. The newsletter can be accessed by selecting "Community Affairs" on the OCC Internet home page, www.occ.treas.gov, and choosing "Publications and Resource Materials."