Frank Floats Loan Plan For Unemployed Homeowners

MICHELLE R. SMITH

FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) — Rep. Barney Frank said Monday he is pushing a proposal to use some of the interest the government collects from the financial industry bailout to give loans to unemployed homeowners struggling to pay the mortgage.

The lack of aid to jobless homeowners has been identified as a big weakness in the Obama administration's plan to tackle the mortgage crisis. A report by a congressional oversight panel said last month that the $50 billion program "was not designed to address foreclosures caused by unemployment," which are now the main cause of default.

Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said in Fall River and New Bedford at appearances with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan that he favors providing government help in the form of federal loans to homeowners who have lost their jobs until they get another job.

"These are people who are very responsible, very thoughtful. They got a home, it's above water, they've got equity, but they're unemployed, and you can't afford mortgage payments on unemployment," said Frank, D-Mass.

Frank said the program would be funded using interest banks pay on the $700 billion Wall Street bailout, known as the Troubled Asset Relief Program.