The federal agency may aid those with little equity or cash for a down payment. With the housing downturn and credit crunch in full force, it might be time for home buyers and homeowners to learn more about a federal mortgage program launched during the Great Depression.

SAN FRANCISCO----Borrowers with limited resources and little or no established credit have been able to buy homes without facing the risks of a subprime mortgage through the Economic Opportunity Mortgage program at Union Bank of California.