National Mortgage News reports the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is cracking down on lenders it thinks have taken shortcuts, denying claims and even threatening lawsuits.  Although much of the action results from the bubble years activity, it is giving pause to those seeking to make new FHA-backed loans.  Foreclosure-related claims fell by 15 percent last quarter from FHA.  One analyst said the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which backs all FHA loans, is acting more like an insurance company because if it detects a deficiency, it will not pay the claim.  FHA says their backlog of foreclosures is nearly 176,000, a record high, and that is causing delays.  HUD can file criminal charges if FHA’s lending requirements are falsely certified.