Holders of delinquent loans under fire

The Treasury Department yesterday released its first monthly report card on the government program to help distressed homeowners reduce their mortgage payments. The report analyzed, lender by lender, the percentage of 2.7 million mortgage loans that have been renegotiated nationwide.

Bank of America, which holds nearly 800,000 of the loans, restructured only 4 percent of its share. Wells Fargo, with 330,000 such loans, has modified 6 percent of its loans.

Several big banks did better, according to the Treasury report.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. modified 20 percent of its share of the loans, and Citigroup Inc. modified 15 percent.

Other lenders approved payment reductions on up to 25 percent of their loans.

In March, the government launched the $50 billion program to help up to 4 million financially troubled borrowers, those who can’t afford to pay their mortgages because their interest rates spiked or they have lost income. The Treasury’s report card analyzed eligible loans that were delinquent for at least 60 days. It showed that only 235,247 of those borrowers, or 9 percent of the total, have been given a three-month trial modification, which becomes permanent if the borrower pays on time.

Boston-area housing advocates were not surprised by the government’s findings.

Bill Minkle, executive director of the nonprofit Ecumenical Social Action Committee in Jamaica Plain, said his counselors have had to send and resend documentation to lenders, and then wait a long time for a response. If loan modifications are approved, the new agreements often come with large balloon payments added to the end of the loan term.

Minkle said Bank of America and Wells Fargo - which have received billions in federal bailout money - have been especially difficult. “They look for reasons to not do modifications,’’ Minkle said. “There is no consistency.’’

Eloise Lawrence, a staff attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services, wondered whether government incentives are enough to get lenders to help struggling borrowers. She said Bank of America has been one of the most difficult when it comes to helping her clients avoid foreclosure. In one case, she’s been negotiating for more than a year, without a resolution.

“I can’t get an answer to basic questions in letters I’ve sent,’’ she said. “It’s so far from acceptable, it’s incredible.’’

Bank of America officials could not be reached for comment. Wells Fargo said it is helping distressed borrowers through other programs, and is accelerating its use of the Obama plan.

The government yesterday detailed big disparities among the 38 companies that have signed up for the program. According to the report, Saxon Mortgage Services Inc. had the best results among the large lenders, with one in four of its eligible borrowers getting a new deal. Aurora Loan Services LLC, GMAC Mortgage Inc., and JPMorgan Chase all had one in five qualified borrowers in a trial loan.

“We think they could have ramped up better, faster, more consistently, and done a better job serving borrowers and bringing stabilization to the broader mortgage markets and economy,’’ said Michael Barr, a Treasury Department assistant secretary. “We expect them to do more.’’

Meanwhile, several smaller companies - including PNC Financial Services Group Inc. in Pittsburgh - have yet to modify a single loan. PNC, which owns National City, was up and running in early July.

“National City is working with qualified customers to make mortgage modifications available. There are loan modifications in the process,’’ said PNC spokesman Fred Soloman.

Material from Globe wire services was used in this report. Jenifer B. McKim can be reached at jmckim@globe.com.