Homeownership and the Fading American Dream

Since the Great Depression, the US government has encouraged home ownership, most conspicuously with the homeowner's tax deduction. In the aftermath of the housing market collapse and the sub-prime mortgage scandal, President Obama promised help for millions of homeowners trying to avoid foreclosures. Now six million Americans are facing foreclosure, but new federal programs may be doing more harm than good. Instead of help with mortgage modification or refinance, desperate homeowners face a blizzard of paperwork and official errors with little or no supervision. Is homeownership all that it's cracked up to be?  If not, what are the consequences for the economy and a cornerstone of American culture?