WASHINGTON — Criticizing the White House directly for the first time since November's election, President-elect Barack Obama yesterday accused President Bush of not doing enough to stem the nation's home foreclosure crisis.

Obama vowed that if the Bush administration doesn't take sufficient steps to help reduce foreclosures in its remaining days in office, he would take action shortly after being sworn in as the nation's 44th president on Jan. 20.

"I'm disappointed that we have not seen quicker movement on this issue by the administration," Obama told Tom Brokaw on NBC's "Meet the Press." "We have said publicly and privately that we want to see a package that helps homeowners, not just because it's good for that particular homeowner, it's good for the community."

Obama repeated his displeasure at a news conference in Chicago to introduce retired Army Gen. Eric Shinseki as his nominee to lead the Veterans Affairs Department.

"We have not seen the kind of aggressive steps in the housing market to stem foreclosures that I would like to see," he said, adding that his transition team has had discussions on the subject with the White House. "If it is not done during the transition, it will be done by me."

Bush administration officials responded that they're working hard to stem the foreclosure crisis through the Federal Housing Authority and the private sector. Administration officials say they've also bolstered Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

"There are no easy solutions to problems in the housing market, but we've taken aggressive action over the past year to deal with the housing downturn and to stop preventable foreclosures," said Cynthia Bergman, a White House spokeswoman. "And we continue to review options and new programs to help keep families in their homes and to help the housing market recover."

Obama's remarks yesterday were part of a whirlwind weekend in which he outlined his economic rescue package, offered support for Detroit's Big Three automakers and tapped Shinseki, who was forced to retire because of his criticism of the original Iraq war invasion.

Obama said his economic team is weighing the option of a three-month moratorium on foreclosures, which he had proposed during the election campaign.

"I think we also should be working to figure out how we can get banks and homeowners to renegotiate the terms of their mortgages so that they are sustainable," he said. "The vast majority of people who are at threat of foreclosure are still making monthly payments, they want to stay in their homes, they want to stay in their communities, but the strains are enormous."

Obama said his recovery plan is vital to quelling foreclosures, saving Detroit and stabilizing Wall Street.