Can someone explain Freddie Mac Expanded A-Minus Program?

Freddie Mac used to offer an A- program that expaned the credit criteria for a borrower to get a loan. There used to be 3 or 4 levels of criteria. Once the credit and housing meltdown began, these programs went away. It was a product desiged to offer homeownership opportunities to more people. Today the basic products are your conforming programs offered by 'fannie' and 'freddie' or FHA. Then you get into some higher interest "hard money" offerings from private investors.