The Obama administration is making $3 billion in aid available to help unemployed homeowners avoid foreclosure.

The administration announced plans Wednesday to allocate $2 billion to its "Hardest Hit Fund," which provides federal grants to state housing agencies, doubling the size of that program. The funding will be divvied up between housing agencies in 17 states, plus the District of Columbia, that have the highest unemployment rates. State housing officials will decide how to target that funding toward keeping borrowers from losing their homes when they face short-term unemployment.