A sweet little lady who’s managed to live to the age of 91 deserves respect. I don’t think there’s any argument there. So why is our government agency, HUD (U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development) muscling Jeanette Ogle out of her home — when she owns it free-and-clear?
Great question, especially since on their “About” page, HUD claims one of their goals is to protect consumers. Just who do they think they’re protecting by tossing a nonagenarian out into the streets? This is one story that really makes my blood boil, and I’m glad Kenneth R. Harney exposed it in his syndicated column “Nation’s Housing.”
In 2007, Mr. and Mrs. Ogle refinanced their home into a reverse mortgage. A reverse mortgage is a program for senior citizens wherein they can collect cash from the equity of their home. The intent is to help old people who need extra income to live comfortably. Rather than die equity rich and live in poverty, they can receive a monthly check taken from their home equity. And why not? They put the money into the home, so why shouldn’t they be able to take some out? For seniors who need supplemental income, the program makes sense.
However, when the Ogles took their reverse mortgage, the Weasel who called himself a loan officer had only Mr. Ogle sign for the mortgage. At the time, Mrs. Ogle did not understand what was happening. She sat along with her husband and signed all the paperwork she was given to sign. She didn’t understand she was signing an acknowledgement that only her husband was on the loan. No doubt, her husband didn’t understand that either. Only the deceptive loan officer, underwriter, and possibly the signer and funder–all the people inside the business–understood.
In 2010, Mr. Ogle passed away, leaving his wife a widow. Now that the only person on the mortgage has deceased, the loan servicer, Reverse Mortgage Solutions of Spring, Texas, has initiated a foreclosure action. Once the 91-year old is booted out, the house ownership goes to the big government agency, HUD. Like HUD needs another property, right?
HUD has “no comment.” Cowards!
Handily, HUD has on their website an online form where people can send in a complaint about someone who violates housing discrimination laws. I’d love to see HUD flooded with protests on behalf of Mrs. Ogle. If enough people come to her defense, maybe the public can muscle HUD into backing off of their intention to strong-arm a little lady out of the home she and her husband paid for long ago.
Please feel free to pass this on to others in behalf of Mrs. Ogle via Twitter, Facebook, email, or any other way.
Thank you for spreading the word Carolyn. I completed and submitted the HUD complaint form. They won’t be able to ignore the masses!
Thank you for submitting the complaint. I submitted one as well.
That’s horrible!! I doubt the underwriter and others are to blame, at least I hope not. It sounds like another sales “shark” circling in for the kill……not caring who he/she hurt in the process. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
I think you’re right in that it’s not an underwriting issue. I heard from a friend and colleague of mine who does reverse mortgages. He said some of the loan officers will keep the younger spouse off the loan so the older spouse will receive more money. (With a reverse mortgage, the older you are, the less time you have left to collect money so the more money you get.)
Waving dollar signs in front of people who don’t understand their options is deceptive and unethical. Mrs. Ogle did not know the potential consequences of keeping her off the reverse mortgage.
This is totally in-human! Hopefully our Lord will protect Mrs Ogle and keep her out of harms way.