Federal and state officials announced a $26 billion foreclosure settlement Thursday with five of the largest home lenders. Parties to the settlement include the Justice Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development and 49 state attorneys general (all but Oklahoma). At least $17 billion will go to reducing the principal owed by homeowners who are both underwater and behind on their mortgages. "No action, no matter how meaningful, is going to by itself entirely heal the housing market," President Barack Obama said.t "But this settlement is a start."
