Two groups published a report today that compares the cost of renting a house and owning one in dozens of cities, including Fresno. The authors suggest that renters are being ignored in the national debate over how to resolve the mortgage meltdown.

The study says that many houses bought in 2007, including those in Fresno, will be worth less in 2012, and that the foreclosure crisis will cause a demand for more rental housing. Be advised: the comparison of owning and renting does not factor in the value of a homeowner's mortgage deduction and paying down the principal, says co-author Dean Baker.