Elderly Woman Faces Eviction From Home, Finds Out Neighbors Have Been Changing The Mortgage

Apr 25, 2019 by apost team

This story from 2017 details how an elderly woman with disabilities nearly lost the home that her deceased parents left for her all because of rising taxes.

Alice Smith was diagnosed with polio when she was just an infant. Unfortunately, there wasn't an effective treatment for this condition at the time and as a result, she continued to suffer from mental and physical disabilities.

With that in mind, before her beloved parents passed away, they organized for their home to be paid in full. This was intended to ensure that Alice could live alone in the home for the rest of her life. Her parents knew that her disabilities would make it nearly impossible for her to pay for her own home in the small town of Haddonfield, New Jersey. 

The plan worked well for several decades during which Alice was able to live in the home independently with some minor help from loyal caretakers, including her brother and nephew.

However, by 2017, an unforeseen change threatened Alice's living situation. The taxes for the home had been raised to $8,500 per year. Because the sharp rise in taxes couldn't have been accounted for by her parents before they passed, it meant that the sexagenarian eventually fell behind on her payments and was going to be forced to foreclose on her home.

Tragically, the funds that Alice's beloved parents had saved for their entire lives weren't enough to cover the rising costs. The elderly and disabled woman was on the brink of eviction from her childhood home. But then a GoFundMe started by her family members changed the course of things. 

After the taxes had gone up, Alice's family members had helped to pitch in and cover the difference but it wasn't long before they couldn't keep up with the repayments for the higher taxes either. It was unfortunate that Alice's home state of New Jersey happens to have some of the highest property taxes in the country. In addition, the old home needed several repairs to stay in operating condition. Alice's family members had attempted to get a reverse mortgage on the house but it wasn't possible in the end due to the repairs that needed to occur first, which also cost money.

In an interview with FOX News, Alice was asked how she would react if someone told her to move from the home, and in an expressive response, she said that she would tell that individual to "go to hell." Not only was the house her home but it was also the only one she'd ever known, loaded with memories of her parents and her personal history.

As time went on, Alice's brother and grandson knew that the list of available options was growing smaller with each passing day. So they decided to start a GoFundMe campaign to help raise money for renovations on the home. With the upgrades and repairs, they hoped the home would qualify for a reverse mortgage.

In a turn of events that restored their faith in humanity, the response to the GoFundMe was overwhelmingly positive. Alice and her family were blown away by the public's reaction to her situation.  

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The local community ended up donating more than enough money, which, in total, amounted to $16,260. The large sum was enough to cover the necessary repairs that Alice's house needed to undergo before the reverse mortgage was approved, which meant that Alice was able to keep her home. 

Alice's nephew, Mark Smith, told Fox News at the time that the family was "absolutely amazed and very encouraged," by how well the GoFundMe had worked. He added:

"You just put out there that there's somebody in need and how quickly people responded."

Although Alice's situation was saved from the donations, Mark expressed concern that others might not be so lucky. He said:

"There's other people out there who may not have the support network that Alice has ... who also may be elderly or physically handicapped, and may be getting taken out of their home."

When he reported on the story, Fox News correspondent Bill Anderson expressed that the hope for Alice's story was to inspire decision-makers to consider changing policies and the way in which they impact many people, like Alice, who have trouble taking care of themselves.

In an update to the GoFundMe page on Feb. 28, 2019, Mark wrote that Alice passed away after being in the ICU due to medical complications. He said: 

"Through struggling with physical ailments, Alice's only wish was to remain in her home for the remainder of her years. The generosity of all who supported her made her wish come true. She lived in her home through it all."

He ended the message:

"Thank you all again for assuring that her remaining years were lived in the way that she wished, and deserved." 

What an incredibly moving story. Have you ever witnessed a community come together to help someone in need? Let us know, and if you enjoyed reading this story, pass it to a family member or friend who might find it inspiring.