A mortgage industry alliance, under pressure to show progress in its efforts to aid troubled borrowers, says lenders gave a record amount of assistance to homeowners last month.

WASHINGTON - A key Senate panel approved a homeowner rescue plan today to give cheaper, government-backed mortgages to up to 500,000 strapped borrowers.

WASHINGTON - Two powerful senators announced today they had reached an agreement for a homeowner rescue package that could help a half-million strapped borrowers get government-backed mortgages.

Fannie Mae is doing away with higher minimum down payment requirements for borrowers in parts of the U.S. in which home prices are dropping.

WASHINGTON - Fannie Mae says it is doing away with higher minimum downpayment requirements for borrowers in distressed real estate markets.

The metro region is feeling the effects of nationwide mortgage troubles, as a new data reveals the number of borrowers with mortgage payments at least 60 days late doubled or almost doubled - and in some cases tripled - in all counties in the region from the fourth quarter of 2006 to the same period in 2007.

The metro region is feeling the effects of nationwide mortgage troubles, as a new data reveals the number of borrowers with mortgage payments at least 60 days late doubled or almost doubled - and in some cases tripled - in all counties in the region from the fourth quarter of 2006 to the same period in 2007.

The metro region is feeling the effects of nationwide mortgage troubles, as a new data reveals the number of borrowers with mortgage payments at least 60 days late doubled or almost doubled - and in some cases tripled - in all counties in the region from the fourth quarter of 2006 to the same period in 2007.

A key federal regulator released a proposal to address the mortgage crisis Wednesday, calling on the Treasury Department to help troubled borrowers by lending them 20% of their mortgage principal to spur refinancing into more affordable loans.

WASHINGTON - The government would give emergency loans to around 1 million troubled borrowers under a new housing-assistance plan developed by a federal bank regulator.