Father's foreclosure fears

A local man is working to make ends meet during the pandemic and not lose his home

The coronavirus pandemic has created*ne* financial challenges.

For others - it has compounded already tough times.

I recently met with a local father... a currently unemployed construction worker... who is struggling to make ends meet.

"it's terrifying, i mean everyday you don't know what's going to happen" even when spending relaxing time with his three kids john schneider says he is worried.

"for those who live paycheck to paycheck, this is your worst nightmare; we're waiting for that next check to pay the bills, we don't have savings."

This single father says he has been paying what he can on mortgage and tax debts for his los molinos home.

He says a job- layoff meant finances were tight*befor* the coronavirus.

Then, stay-at- home orders made matters even more severe *an* with three children to watch, he says work options are limited.

"i got full custody of the kids and they ain't got nowhere to go.

To verify the situation, i spent time sifting through tehama county property records portal and talked with representatives from both the appraisers and tax collectors offices.

They tell me& the county would not force schneider out for back taxes & however his lender can follow its own guildlines for payment default.

And right now& that's impending foreclosure.

Schneider says he has been on a payment plan with his lender& but time is running out.

He owers more than 10-thousand dollars &by next week.

He's fearful.

"of losing my home and being homeless.

With this house in foreclosure, i ain't got nowhere to go.

We can't afford a new home."

A recently published memo by a group of housing policy experts indicates based on covid-19 unemployment stats and census bureau data& roughtly 30-40 million people in the u.s. are at risk of being evicted or facing foreclosure by the end of the year.

Schneider& is living that report.

"it's happening, it is not just talk or fears that people can be thrown out of their homes, it is happening to me.

There seems to be a big division among those two types of people; those who have good bank accounts and those who don't.

They don't seem to understand what the rest of us could be going through."

I did reach out - by phone and email to the mortgage lender involved to ask if there is i did reach out - by phone and email to the mortgage lender involved to ask if there is any wiggle room on this case... as of this morning - no response.

There is currently a bill before california lawmakersã assembly bill 828 ã it would add a temporary moratorium, preventing foreclosures on residential property while there is a state or locally declared state of emergency related to covid-19... and until 91 days after the state of emeregency ends.