And while a few companies made out like bandits by exploiting their customers, our entire economy was made more vulnerable. Millions of people have now lost their homes. Tens of millions more have lost value in their homes. Just about every sector of our economy has felt the pain, whether you're paving driveways in Arizona, or selling houses in Ohio, or you're doing home repairs in California, or you're using your home equity to start a small business in Florida.