Spring Member Drive: Protect journalism that gets results.
Donate Now
Skip to content
ProPublica
Donate
ProPublica
Donate
Debt

Foreclosure Crisis

How Banks and Government Fail Homeowners

Systemic failures at the country's banks and mortgage servicers have exacerbated the most severe foreclosure crisis since the Great Depression, making it extremely difficult for struggling homeowners to win a loan modification. Government efforts to limit the damage have fallen woefully short.

Bank of America Lied to Homeowners and Rewarded Foreclosures, Former Employees Say

For Most Homeowners, Gov't Foreclosure Deal Brings A Few Hundred Bucks

Feds Replace Flawed Foreclosure Review With Vague $8.5 Billion Settlement

As Foreclosure Crisis Drags On, So Does Flawed Government Response

Cheat Sheet: BofA Supplied Default Answers for 'Independent' Foreclosure Claims Reviewers

Exec Who Allegedly Enabled Fraud Runs Chase’s Effort to Compensate Foreclosure Victims

Read the Documents Treasury Has Been Keeping Secret

Secret Documents Show Weak Oversight of Key Foreclosure Program

Why Florida is Sitting on $300 Million Meant to Help Homeowners

Where Are the Foreclosure Deal Millions Going in Your State?

Doubts About Independent Foreclosure Review Spread

Is BofA’s Foreclosure Review Really Independent? You Be the Judge

Foreclosure Fail: Study Pins Blame on Big Banks

Big Foreclosure Compensation, But Only for the Right Wrongs

Guiding You Through the Govt's Foreclosure Compensation Maze

Billion Dollar Bait & Switch: States Divert Foreclosure Deal Funds

Big Banks Slack on Maintaining Foreclosed Homes in Minority Areas, Complaint Charges

Excerpt: At Goldman Sachs Servicer, 'Total Disaster'

Ask Paul Kiel Your Questions on the Foreclosure Crisis

The Great American Foreclosure Story: The Struggle for Justice and a Place to Call Home

Video: The Great American Foreclosure Song

Lack of Competition Stifles Refinance Program for Underwater Homeowners

Breaking Down the Mortgage Settlement: How Far Does $26 Billion Go?

Four Whistleblowers Who Sounded the Alarm on Banks' Mortgage Shenanigans

What Do Republican Presidential Candidates Say on Foreclosure Crisis? Not Much.

Homeowners Who Negotiate Debt Relief Could Soon Face Massive Tax Bill

The Best, Most Revealing Reporting on the Foreclosure Crisis

How Citibank Dumped Lousy Mortgages on the Government

Obama Housing Plans vs. Reality

Will Mortgage Settlement Avoid Repeating Obama’s Foreclosure Failures?

Why Millions Won't Get Help From Big Mortgage Settlement

Underwater Homeowners May Swim Freely

Still Waiting for Cleanup in Foreclosure Mess

Foreclosure Crisis: The Story So Far

Flaws Jeopardize New Attempt to Help Homeowners

Our FAQ on The National Foreclosure Settlement and Independent Foreclosure Review

Surprise on Refi Revamp: Key Regulator Agrees to Major Program Reforms

Our Guide to Obama’s Floundering Foreclosure Programs

Secret Docs Show Foreclosure Watchdog Doesn’t Bark or Bite

One Obstacle to Obama's New Plan to Help Homeowners: A Gov't Regulator

Nevada Wallops Bank of America With Sweeping Suit; Nationwide Foreclosure Settlement in Peril

Billions Meant for Struggling Homeowners May Pay Down Deficit Instead

Internal Doc Reveals GMAC Filed False Document in Bid to Foreclose

FDIC Chairwoman: Mortgage Industry 'Didn't Think Borrowers Were Worth Helping'

Bank Errors Continue to Cause Wrongful Foreclosures

Better Late Than Never? Gov’t Finally Penalizes Major Banks for Mortgage Mod Failures

Profiles: Shoddy Bank Practices Continue Even After Mortgage Mods

Even After Mortgage Modification, Shoddy Bank Practices Hurt Homeowners

In Fine Print, Banks Require Struggling Homeowners to Waive Rights

Were You Forced to Waive Your Rights to Get Help?

As Regulators and Banks Review Foreclosures, We’ll Be Watching

Amidst Foreclosure Crisis, Proposed Budget Would Slash Housing Counseling

Homeowner Wins Reprieve After ProPublica Story

Lawsuit Reveals How a Middleman Is Blocking Mortgage Modifications for Homeowners

Government Vows to Curb Banks' Foreclosure Practices, But Enforcement Still a Question Mark

By the Numbers: A Revealing Look at the Mortgage Mod Meltdown

Loan Mod Program Left Homeowners' Fate in Hands of Dysfunctional Industry

Despite Finding Big Problems in Mortgage Industry, Regulators' Punishment Unclear

Dems: Obama Broke Pledge to Force Banks to Help Homeowners

Govt's Loan Mod Program Crippled by Lax Oversight and Deference to Banks

Homeowners Trying To Get Loan Mods: Where They Stand Now

Where Things Stand: Foreclosure Paperwork Scandal

Overview of the Government's Programs to Reduce Principal on Underwater Mortgages

Oversight Panel Slams Loan Modification Program, but Highlights an Opportunity

One 'Nightmare' Mortgage: Problems From Origination Through Foreclosure

Banks Modifying Tiny Percentage of Mortgages in Need

New York State Foreclosure Mediation Shows Glimmers of Hope in Helping Homeowners

At Hearing, Lawmakers Ask Experts for Foreclosure Crisis Solutions

BofA Blames Investors for Lack of Loan Modifications, But Evidence Points Elsewhere

Gov’t Has Spent Small Fraction of $50 Billion Pledged for Loan Mods

Despite Praise From Banks, Treasury, In-House Loan Mods Provide Less Help to Homeowners

The Government's Incredible Shrinking Mortgage Mod Program

Amid Foreclosure Questions, Govt Loan Mod Program Continues Struggles

Read: The Depositions That Sparked the Foreclosure Scandal

Mortgage Investors Join Outcry Against Banks

Q&A: Putting the Foreclosure Paperwork Scandal in Perspective

Mod Program Falling Short of Govt’s Vague Goals

Homeowner Tips for Getting Loan Modifications

Loan Mod Profiles: For Some, a Modification

Loan Mod Profiles: In Trial Limbo

Profiled Homeowner Gets a Mortgage Modification

Loan Mod Profiles: Fed Up, Giving Up

For Gov't Mortgage Mod Program, New Numbers Show Old Problems

Loan Mod Profiles: Delayed Then Denied, Often Mistakenly

Homeowner Questionnaire Shows Banks Violating Gov't Program Rules

Loan Mod Profiles: The Runaround

The Reporting Matchmaker Is Looking for More Loan Mod Stories

After Fannie Error, Treasury Issues Correction on Mod Program Default Numbers

New York Jumps Ahead of Feds With Law Holding Mortgage Companies Accountable on Mods

Resources for Investigating Investor Restrictions on Mortgage Modifications

When Denying Loan Mods, Loan Servicers Often Wrongly Blame Investors

Loan Mod Backlogs Continue Despite Servicers' Pledges to Improve

In Financial Regulation Bill, Increased Transparency for Loan Mod Program

Survey: Homeowners Working With Servicers Often Blindsided by Foreclosures

Loan Mod Program Still Sputtering, Despite Attempted Fixes

No Penalties for Mortgage Company with Worst Loan Mod Backlog

Chase Leaves Thousands Stuck in Loan Mod Limbo

Loan Mod Logjam Continues for 265,000 Homeowners; Failures Jump

Gov't Loan Mod Program Leaves Some Homeowners Worse Off

Only $242 Million Spent So Far on Gov't $75B Mortgage Mod Program

Financial Reform Amendment Would Address Loan Mod Problems with 'Homeowner Advocate'

Disorganization at Banks Causing Mistaken Foreclosures

Have You Worked in Loss Mitigation?

Geithner Talks Tough on Loan Mods, and Backs It Up With … More Data

Update: Reporting Matchmaker a Success

New March Mortgage Mod Data: Cancellations Jump, Logjam Continues

Reporting Matchmaker: Match.com's Got Nothing on Us

Treasury, Ahem, Clarifies Goals for the Mortgage Mod Program

New Data Shows Loan Mod Logjam Continues; Servicers Must Double-check Denials

Check Out Our New Loan Mod Page

The Story So Far on the Gov't Loan Mod Program

And The World’s Longest Trial Mod Is...

Chase and Other Servicers Leave Many in Loan Mod Limbo; Treasury Threatens Penalties

New Data: See the Mortgage Mod Logjam for Each Servicer

Help ProPublica Find the Homeowner Who’s Been in Loan-Mod Limbo the Longest

Chase Denied Loan Mods for Now Forbidden Reason -- Homeowners in Limbo

Logjam Continues for Loan Mods; Big Banks Fare Poorly, Data Show

Homeowners Say Banks Not Following Rules for Loan Modifications

Loan Mod Program Delays Even Worse for Those Struggling Not to Fall Behind

Interactive Chart Shows Breakdown of Slow-Moving Loan Mod Program

Homeowners Getting Blame for Lack of Loan Mods, but Evidence Points to Banks and Servicers, Too

Treasury Still Vague on Penalties for Loan Mod Laggards

Govt’s Attempt to Push Transparency for Mortgage Mods Falls Short

Freddie Mac, Given Oversight of Mortgage Mod Program, Falls Down on Job

KNBC TV Examines Sketchy Mortgage Rescue Company

Watchdog Report Throws Cold Water on Treasury Loan Mod Celebration

Frustrated Homeowners Turn to Media, Courts

The Foreclosure ‘Rescue’ Boom on Marketplace

Why Authorities Haven’t Stopped the Foreclosure ‘Rescue’ Boom

The Secret Test That Ensures Lenders Win on Loan Mods

How Are Those Loan Mods Coming? Sept. Edition

Subprime Companies Line Up for Gov't Mortgage Plan

While Debt Mounts, Couple Chases BofA Loan Mod

Bankruptcy Judges, Justice Dept. Rip Mortgage Companies

Bundled Mortgages Pose Problems for Housing Program

Lawsuits Claiming Abuse Mount for Gov't Mortgage Partners

Treasury's Loan Mod Progress Report: Read the Fine Print

How Many Modifications Has Your Mortgage Servicer Started?

Treasury Launches Shame Offensive Against Mortgage Servicers

Do Loan Servicers Profit From Not Modifying?

At Meeting, Servicers Agree to Boost Mortgage Mods

Why Isn't the Gov't Mortgage Program Working?

Large Bailed-Out Bank Struggles to Survive

Gov't Foreclosure Program: Who Are The Holdouts?

Obama Admin to Mortgage Servicers: Do More (Please)

Mortgage Aid Targeted Most-Delinquent Borrowers First, Leaving Others Waiting

Lobby Clash Begins Over Consumer Finance Watchdog

Mortgage Aid Program Continues to Move Slowly, As Homeowners Try to Hang On

Admin Considers Fix to Mortgage Program

More Money Allocated for Foreclosure Relief

Dodd: More Info about Loan Mods, Please

Homeowners Seeking Gov't Loan Mods Are Fed Up

Analysts: Tweaks May Not Save Congress' Failed Foreclosure Fix

Struggling Homeowners, Tell Us Your Story

Treasury Boasts of Mortgage Plan's Progress, But Gives Little Info

Foreclosure Crisis: The Gov’t Response, Decoded

Obama Housing Plan Broadens to 2nd Mortgages

Mortgage Mod Update: Readers Help Us Report

Big Banks Ramp Up Mortgage Mod Program

Loan Modification Update

Help Us Report on Obama’s Mortgage Mod Program