101-year old Detroit woman evicted from the place she has called home for 60 years
65Texana Hollis is devastated
101-year old Texana Hollis homeless
On September 21 of 2011 Texana Hollis a 101 -year-old woman from Detroit was evicted from her home. Her belongings were placed in the front yard after her 65-year-old son forgot to pay the property taxes on her reverse mortgage and the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development swooped in and foreclosed on her home.
After explaining that the failure to pay was just on over sight the federal government informed her days later she could move back into the house she has called home for more than 60 years.
As Texana prepared to move home HUD informed her that she could not because they were condemning the house because their inspection found it unsanitary and unsafe.
Now the 101-year old woman finds herself homeless. A spokesperson for HUD told local media that an inspection determined that Hollis' home was 'unsuitable for a person to live in' and that they could not allow her to live in that atmosphere now that they are 'essentially' the owners of the home.
HUD has decided that it does not want to put the money in necessary to fix the home so they informed Hollis to look into other agencies that may be able to help her get her home back.
A long time friend came to Texana's rescue by inviting her to stay with her while she struggles to find a home. 68-year-old Pollian Cheeks has opened her doors to her friend. Texana at one time taught Sunday school classes to Cheeks at the St. Philip's Lutheran Church.
Texana's son took out a reverse mortgage on the home for $32,000, which was the appraised value of the home. The reverse mortgage is an option that HUD allows for elderly tenants. When the amount paid to the family exceeded the value of the home in 2006 Hud took control of the mortgage.
For now Texana is trying to find someone to help her bring her house up to code so she can return to the place she has called home for more than 60 years. I find it sad that a organization who is as well funded as HUD could not suck it up and help Texana keep her home. She is 101-years old and should not being dealing with homelessness. Hopefully someone will step up and help her so she can return to the place she has called home for 60 years.
Texana
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This is truly sad. There are several factors that could be the culprit to Mrs Hollis' demise. Someone in her family really needed to understand the state and federal laws regarding a reverse mortage. Penalties, fees and overall issues precluding the signing up for this type of mortgage.
I hope that her family steps in as well to investigate what her rights are as a senior for housing and quantifying programs for food and other needs. Her family and friends should not throw in the proverbial towel thinking that they cannot do anything about this.
Questions to consider:
Did she own the home out right?
Did she have current home owners insurance with any built in measures to sustain her property in case of a range of incidents that might occur?
Are there other contributors on her behalf that can split the cost of her taxes owed so that she can regain ownership and then sell the property herself with proper guidance, to enable stable income?
There are many variables here?
There are time limits set for handling these issues and extensions depending on the situation. If someone is willing to speak for her and cannot afford to retain an attorney, seek government assistance for a state appointed laywer to step in and fight for her legal rights. All my not be lost. -All the best to her and her family. Thanks for the article. Excellently written!
what is worse for a 101-year hold, being homeless, or keep living in the "unsanitary" home where she's been for 60 years already? crazy laws! I hope volunteers will help her fixing up the house.
No one should be able to tell her how she needs to keep the inside of her own home, this is horrible, great story to publish though thank you!
I read about this in the Huffington Post. I just don't get it. You would think that HUD knows her family and friends will help her fix up the home. I think it's just a way for them to continue on the with the foreclosure and not lose face anymore. The bank took a lot of heat over the initial seizure of the home and deserves so much more over this! Most local churches could and would organize to fix this in very little time were HUD to allow it, and they know it. Thank you so much for calling attention to this poor ladies plight. By the grace of God it could be any of our grandmothers or great grandmothers or even one day us.
dudumodu 4 months ago
This sure is sad and I sincerely hope she gets not just a home ,but a good one pretty soon.That is a challenge not just for the government of America but also for its numerous philanthropists.
I also pray that my dear Africa remains sane enough for this not to happen on our soil.