Trump’s housing agency cracks down on zero-down home loans

(David Zalubowski | The Associated Press) In this Oct 2, 2018, file photo a for sale sign stands outside a home on the market in the north Denver suburb of Thornton, Colo. Entry-level homes are hard to find. As a homebuyer, you can broaden your search by considering homes in need of improvement.The Trump Administration is cracking down on national affordable housing programs because of concern over growing risk to the government’s almost $1.3 trillion portfolio of federally insured mortgages.

The effort targets providers of money for borrowers who can’t afford the 3.5 percent down payment typically required on Federal Housing Administration loans. Such help — from government agencies and…