The mortgage crisis and subsequent tightening of credit by lenders has made tapping home equity more challenging. People who took out a home equity line of credit (HELOC) before the crisis occurred have been thanking their lucky stars that they still have access to funds, especially if they lost their jobs, had emergency medical expenses, or experienced a reduction in the value of their portfolios. Unfortunately, some banks started to freeze those credit lines, making that last lifeline unavailable to those who needed it most.