Could widespread designations of entire ZIP codes, metropolitan areas - even entire states - as "declining markets" hinder a real estate recovery and hurt minority groups and moderate-income buyers disproportionately? Growing ranks of critics say the answer is yes.

LOS ANGELES - Consumer advocates, minority groups and homeowners, some chanting "Save our homes, fix our loans," staged a demonstration outside Countrywide Financial offices Wednesday, part of a campaign to press the nation's largest mortgage lender to do more to help borrowers in danger of