The Federal Housing Administration has a big new role to play in untangling the mortgage mess, but even the agency itself does not know whether it can or should handle some of the tasks it is being asked to perform.

-- Legislation by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., the House Financial Services Committee chairman, would relax the Federal Housing Administration's underwriting standards to allow the hardest-pressed homeowners to qualify for government-backed loans.

The Federal Housing Administration has endorsed a plan that would refinance home loans even for borrowers who have seen their property decrease in value, a senior government official is expected to say today.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two top lawmakers proposed on Tuesday giving the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) a bigger role in tackling the nation's worsening home mortgage and foreclosure crisis.

It's official. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has raised the new conforming limits for loans guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration in Santa Clara, San Mateo and 12 other high-cost California counties to a maximum of $729,750.

It will be easier for many borrowers to qualify for mortgages. But the VA-backed loans are excluded. WASHINGTON -- Oops! When Congress and the White House put together the recent bipartisan $150-billion economic stimulus package, they raised the maximum mortgage limits in high-cost areas for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration.

When Congress and the White House put together the $150 billion economic stimulus package, they raised the maximum mortgage limits in high-cost areas for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration.

Federal Housing Administration mortgages, which have virtually disappeared from California because of their low dollar limits, will soon become a compelling new option for borrowers in high-cost areas, especially for people with low down payments and...

Offering a ray of hope for a struggling California housing market, the government Wednesday doubled the limit for loans guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration in 14 high-cost California counties, including Santa Clara County.

The government on Wednesday raised the mortgage limits for loans guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration in 14 high-cost California counties, including seven in the Bay Area. The Department of Housing and Urban Development released the new loan...