Proposed mortgage lending rules being considered by federal regulators are drawing fire from a variety of players in the housing industry.

At the heart of the debate is a rule that would require borrowers submit a 20 percent downpayment to purchase a home. Intended to help prevent the type of defaults that contributed to the mortgage crisis a few years ago, critics say the rules would stifle the economic recovery and shutout many credit-worthy buyers or, at least, increase their costs through higher interest rates when they can't meet the proposed requirement.

Some of the bigger players speaking out against the rules are the Mortgage Bankers Association, the Center for Responsible Lending, and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.

About 140 people from across the state gathered in Montpelier for Gov. Peter Shumlin's Housing the Homeless summit yesterday.

Advocates said the state's focus should be on preventing homelessness and avoiding emergencies.

Read more about the event:

Vermont Public Radio aired a 10-minute interview with homelessness advocate Morgan Brown.

Morgan blogs about policy and politics that affect homeless people, and has sometimes found himself among their ranks.

Listen to the story online.

Members of Vermont Interfaith Action (VIA) met last night to consider options to encourage the University of Vermont (UVM) to create more affordable housing for its staff and faculty.

The Burlington Free Press reports about 80 people attended the meeting at the College Street Congregational Church to hear a report about the area's affordability challenges and UVM's past promises to help create more housing.

Several UVM employees who've struggled to find affordable places to live within easy commuting distance of the university's campus spoke at the meeting.

UVM administrators did not attend, but sent a letter to be read at the gathering. Administrators say student housing is UVM's current focus.