(Courtesy of Liza Getsinger, NHC): Due to recent changes in lender requirements, articles in both Business Week and the Wall Street Journal suggest that credit to homebuyers may be easing, but  analysis by the Urban Institute shows no overall change in access to credit. The articles cite Wells Fargo's decision to cut minimum credit scores for Fannie Mae- and Freddie Mac-backed loans to 620 from 660, a move that echoed the actions of some smaller lenders. Credit tightened dramatically in the wake of the housing collapse as banks demanded higher downpayments and credit scores from borrowers in order to qualify for a mortgage. As of February this year the average credit score for a conventional mortgage was 755, a number that is well above the average U.S. credit score of 711. The changes thus far mean that borrowers with higher credit scores are less likely to choose FHA and more likely to choose a GSE-backed loan. MORE

(Courtesy of New York Times): The Office of the Comptroller Currency (OCC) confirmed recently that the country's biggest banks committed widespread errors in dealing with homeowners who faced foreclosures at the height of the mortgage crisis, but the findings are unlikely to put to rest questions from lawmakers and others about the extent of the problems. The OCC's post-mortem of the Independent Foreclosure Review founds that at least 9 percent of the errors discovered in the review involved banks improperly denying loan modifications that would have prevented foreclosures. The report also found that more than half of the errors related to administrative flaws and improper fees charged to homeowners during the foreclosures process. MORE

(Courtesy of NWA): There have been many reports in the media about families losing their homes to foreclosure. But what happens to them later? Do they land on their feet? How has the experience changed them, and who helped them the most? Read the stories of five individuals and families who demonstrate that, yes, there is life after foreclosure. MORE

(Courtesy of Center for Community Progress): It's just plexiglass, but officials with the City of Phoenix said it has suddenly become one of the best ways to stop the spread of urban blight.  Over the last few months, city workers have been using plexiglass to cover up the windows and doors of abandoned homes. Councilman Michael Nowakowski said the new program deters crime and squatters. MORE

(Courtesy of NeighborWorks America): Nearly one-third of adults have no emergency savings, according to results of a recent NWA survey. Minority groups and those with lower incomes are even less likely to have emergency savings. Those people who do have savings have less than three months of a financial cushion.  What can be done?  Financial coaching is one answer.  NWA has a demonstration project made possible with support of the Citi Foundation to explain what coaching is and how to make it work within existing financial services.  NWA also offers a financial capability certification. MORE