As lenders continue to try to modify delinquent mortgages or offer foreclosure alternatives, like short sales or deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure, the number of loans entering the foreclosure process are falling.

So-called “foreclosure starts” were down 2.6 percent in April from the previous month, according to a new report from Lender Processing Services.

But it’s not all good news.

FHA loans, those insured by the federal government, saw a huge spike in foreclosure starts, up 73 percent during the month, according to the LPS report. Loans originated in 2008 and 2009 are primarily to blame, although all FHA vintages did see some, albeit far smaller, increases.

“In 2008, when the loan origination market virtually dried up, the FHA stepped in to fill the void,” explained Herb Blecher, senior vice president for LPS Applied Analytics. “FHA originations tripled that year, and increased to five times historical averages in 2009. High volumes like that, even with low default rates, can produce larger numbers of foreclosure starts.”

Still the numbers mean a big hit to the FHA, which is already operating at well below its congressionally mandated two percent capital reserve ratio. “The 2008 vintage alone represents some $14 billion of unpaid balances in foreclosure, and the overall FHA foreclosure inventory continues to rise,” adds Blecher.

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As federal regulators clamp down on foreclosure procedures at the big banks, and the government sets new lender requirements for risk retention in residential mortgages, the cry from the industry is that this will only hamper the housing recovery and price more borrowers out of home ownership.

“High down payment and equity requirements will not have a meaningful impact on default rates. But they will require millions of consumers, who are at low risk of default, to either put off buying a home or pay unnecessarily high rates,” according to a statement from a coalition including the Mortgage Bankers Association and the National Association of Home Builders. “The government is penalizing responsible consumers, making homeownership more expensive or simply out of reach for millions. We urge regulators to develop a final rule that encourages good lending and borrowing without punishing credit-worthy consumers.”

On the one flank you have the industry fighting these new regulations and on another they are fighting a potential settlement with the state attorneys general that could involve fines that would go toward lowering mortgage principal for troubled borrowers. They in fact funded a study that found such a settlement would prolong the foreclosure crisis and drive up mortgage interest rates. That enraged consumer advocates. Iowa’s attorney general Tom Miller, heading up the 50 state group looking to impose penalties shot back:

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