I want to applaud Jamie Smith's Hopkins' article on the Maryland Mortgage Program ("State mortgage program lags on modifying loans," Dec. 21). It was right on!

Governor O'Malley has taken credit for Maryland being in front of the foreclosure crisis. The truth is Maryland lags behind, as the article indicated.

Housing Secretary Raymond Skinner and his aide Clarence Snuggs are making Maryland the laughing stock of the affordable housing industry.

Not only have the governor and his agency let its citizens down in foreclosure assistance, they lags behind many states in multi-family projects funded by federal tax credits.

The rest of the country has taken advantage of the federal aid program while Maryland does little.

Brandon Roberts, Baltimore