Getting more people back to work is key to not only the nation’s economic recovery, but to a recovery in housing as well. But figures released Friday show that job creation remains an elusive ideal here in the United States and in fact, the economy is still shedding jobs.

The latest data from the U.S. Labor Department shows that 95,000 jobs were lost in September. The decline was

far more than analysts were expecting, although the unemployment rate held steady at 9.6 percent.

The private sector added 64,000 new jobs during the month, but that was overshadowed by a reduction in the government workforce of 159,000 positions.

The nation’s high level of unemployment has become a growing concern within the mortgage industry and is now one of the primary triggers of default among struggling homeowners.

Through its Hardest Hit Fund, the federal government has earmarked over $2.5 billion to implement mortgage assistance programs in states where local unemployment rates are above the national average.

This week, HUD also rolled out a new $1 billion Emergency Homeowners Loan Program for borrowers who’ve lost their jobs or experienced a substantial reduction in income. The initiative will provide assistance to homeowners in areas that may not be included in the Treasury’s Hardest Hit Fund program by offering eligible borrowers a “bridge loan” to continue making their mortgage payments for up to 24 months.