Banks, states reach $26 billion settlement [View all]

After more than a year of negotiations, the biggest banks, states and federal authorities on Thursday announced the largest housing settlement ever -- for more than $26 billion -- over foreclosure practices that is expected to offer relief to more than one million U.S. homeowners.

State attorneys-general and federal officials have been in discussions for more than a year with banks over the “robo-signing” crisis - the practice of assigning bank employees to rapidly approve numerous foreclosures with only cursory glances at the glut of paperwork to determine if all the documents are in order.

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Of the $26 billion in the deal with the five banks, $17 billion must be spent by the banks to assist struggling homeowners. Of that amount, 60% must be employed to reduce the amount owed by troubled borrowers, known as principle reduction. The amount must be spent within three years, or banks will need to make cash payments to regulators.

A government official said he believes the vast majority of principal write-downs will take place on loans sitting on bank portfolios because they will receive the largest credit against their obligations under the settlement to do so.