Federal officials say the five largest mortgage lenders have reached a $25 billion settlement with 49 states over foreclosure abuses that took place after the housing bubble burst.

More than 4,000 Kansas homeowners who lost homes to foreclosure and others still struggling to keep their homes out of foreclosure may be eligible for relief.

The settlement is expected to bring more than $50 million to Kansas in the form of direct payments. It is one of the largest consumer protection settlements in state history.

Eligible Kansans will be contacted and offered the chance to file a claim. More information is available at the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at (800) 432-2310.

The banks will have three years to fulfill the terms of the landmark deal.

The deal also ends a separate investigation into Bank of America and Countrywide for inflating appraisals of loans from 2003 through most of 2009. Bank of America will pay $1 billion to settle that federal probe.

Oklahoma is the lone holdout and will receive no money.