WASHINGTON (Reuters) - California Democrats in the House of Representatives are calling for federal investigations into whether financial institutions broke any laws in their handling of foreclosures in the midst of the housing crisis.

Reports from thousands of homeowners in their congressional districts show an "apparent pattern" of practices that led to foreclosures that could have been avoided, the lawmakers wrote in an October 4 letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and the Treasury Department.

The letter was signed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and 30 California lawmakers.

"The excuses we have heard from financial institutions are simply not credible three years into this crisis. People in our districts are hurting," the letter said. "It is time that banks are held accountable for their practices that have left too many homeowners without real help."