The federal government should be less involved in the housing crisis, according to all four Republican presidential candidates.

During a debate at the University of South Florida (USF) Monday night, each candidate said that before the housing bubble burst, owning a home in the United States was too easy.

According to CNBC, Florida is the sixth in the nation in housing foreclosures. One in every 396 households is in foreclosure.

“You have to get government out of the mess,” said Mitt Romney.

The housing market isn’t going to improve unless the employment rate improves, Romney said. The way to help those facing foreclosure is to help the economy.

Later in the debate, Romney said President Barack Obama doesn’t understand how to improve the economy.

Ron Paul said interest rates were kept too low for too long, and the bubble was easily seen ahead of time.

“We need to get out of the way,” he said of government, adding that housing debt has to be liquidated.

Newt Gingrich said the government should repeal the Dodd-Frank Act, which was passed in 2010 and reformed financial regulations in the United States.

Rick Santorum said that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have done more harm than good. He said banks should be allowed to realize their losses.

“Let capitalism work,” he said.

Santorum also talked about a plan he has to let homeowners deduct their losses from the sale of their homes. He said the plan would allow people the freedom to get out from underneath the mortgage debt of homes that have lost their value.