101-Year-Old Evicted Woman Not Allowed to Return Home

January 23rd, 2012 - By Brande Victorian

Texana Hollis, a 101-year-old Detroit woman was evicted from her home Sept. 12 after her 65-year-old son failed to pay property taxes linked to a reverse mortgage. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) foreclosed on the home, but two days later Ms. Hollis was told she could return home. That was four months ago and now HUD has changed its mind again, telling the woman who has lived in this home for 60 years that it’s not in liveable condition.

Department spokesman Brian Sullivan told The Detroit News that an inspection determined the house “was completely unsuitable for a person to live in.”

“We can’t allow someone to live in that (atmosphere) now that we are essentially the owners of the property,” Sullivan said. “The home isn’t safe; it’s not sanitary. It’s certainly not suitable for anyone to live in, especially not a 101-year-old mother.”

HUD also doesn’t want to pay to fix up the house so Sullivan said the department is seeking other agencies that might help with the work and get Hollis back into her home.

 ”We’re not giving up,” Sullivan said. “We’re talking with anybody and everybody about solutions to this situation, but the condition of the property is a challenge.”

Sullivan’s words have done little to comfort Ms. Hollis.

“Here I am, 100 years old, and don’t have a home,” she said. “Oh Lord, help me.”

For now, Ms. Hollis has been staying with a former Sunday School student who offered a room in her home when she heard about her friend’s situation. Hollis’s son, on the other hand, appears to have gone MIA after taking out the reverse mortgage for the $32,000 assessed value of the property which makes the story even sadder.

Do you agree with HUD’s decision not to let Texana Hollis move back into her home? Do you think HUD should pay to bring her house up to code?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

More on Madame Noire!

Tags:

, , , , , ,
More from StyleBlazer
More from MommyNoire

Comment Disclaimer

Comments that contain profane or derogatory language, video links or exceed 200 words will require approval by a moderator before appearing in the comment section. XOXO-MN

  • blacklove

    I would like to donate to help her is there any contact information or anything that I can have to assist her?  As hard as we have to work our whole lives this should not happen to us when we reach that age.

  • Pingback: Bossip Certified Links | AllureVision

  • Teezmenot

    Where are all those rich people that have money to send overseas to countries that have had natural disasters…this a disaster right here in the US???

  • Guest

    Anybody know of a fund or how to donate some money to help this house get up to code?

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/RFTGIITFORQJU2DNAF6ANDYHYY ret2010

    maybe materials and labor can be donated by stores and church members with skills to fix it up and get it back to code; she needs a home and HELP 

  • Pingback: Bossip Certified Links | 21 Kisses.COM

  • currvalicious

    Where are the 1% when you need ‘em?  All these wealthy celebs running around can’t  rub two knickels together to help renovate Ms. Hollis’ home & bring it up to code & nice liveable standards for a 100 yr old woman.  She’s living history for God’s sake, can you imagine all the history she’s lived through, we must do better by each other.

    • Usuc4545

      101 year old ladies are not tax write offs. when helping old ladies gets write offs Beyonce will build her a mansion lol.

  • L-Boogie

    Her son is horrible!  I am glad she is safe though.  

  • Love2012

    Where is her son? How can he get a reverse mortgage on “her” home? When you take out a loan on a home it is inspected. It doesn’t matter if this house is 1 day old or 100 years old, it has to be inspected, so if it wasn’t livable then, how did they do the reverse mortgage? This is truly a sad case. I will pray for her and thank God for her former Sunday School student that took her in. God may not come when you want, but he’s always on time!

    • Mhardy69

      Amen

  • AnnaRenee

    This story is so sad.  I dont know if fault can be laid at HUD’s feet.  Thank God for her former Sunday School student.  That saint will have riches untold in heaven for what she’s doing for her elder teacher. 

Get the MadameNoire
Newsletter The best stories sent right to your inbox!
close [x]