LITTLETON, Colo. -- When one Littleton family launched a patio project last week, the line of credit on their home equity loan was ready and waiting, but when they went to withdraw the money Wednesday, it had disappeared.

"They said they had reassessed our property. We were one of 800 properties they reassessed and they took away our credit availability," said Tina, who wanted to be identified only with her first name.

She is not the only Colorado homeowner facing a credit freeze.

Ron Huston, of Morrison, is an electrical contractor with his own business who recently got a letter in the mail that said his house had lost value and his credit line was suspended.

"It was really a surprise. If I had needed it the next day I would have been in trouble," he said.

Don Childears, president of the Colorado Bankers Association, said some banks may be cutting back on credit because their funding sources are frozen and they have lost capital with the crash of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

"Uncertainty is the real culprit in this," said Childears. "As that shrinks that means they can do less lending because government regulations require that you have so much capital to support so much in loans."

He said banks are still very solid and secure, but right now, they're like retailers who don't have the inventory in the back room. He said the credit markets could get some relief when or if Congress passes the bailout package.