Posted on Jul 10, 2015
Was this necessary? For a 90-year-old WWII veteran, eviction from his lifelong Buffalo home
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On Thursday morning, Hodges was taken from his Humboldt Parkway residence in Buffalo on a stretcher after an almost two-hour standoff that began when a U.S. marshal and Buffalo police showed up to evict him. He was transported for mental health evaluation by VA Western New York Health Care System.
Though he walked onto the front porch under his own power, an ambulance crew and police lifted him from a porch chair to the stretcher to be taken away.
“They’re going to have to take me – I’m not leaving,” Hodges reportedly told Allen Knight Jr., a member of his extended family, who was on the porch when Hodges was put on the stretcher.
After he left, a large crew from Extraordinary Properties, a Canandaigua-based company, carried cardboard boxes inside to begin removing property from the home where Hodges had lived for decades, before it was foreclosed on by M&T Bank.
http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/for-a-90-year-old-wwii-veteran-eviction-from-his-lifelong-buffalo-home-20150709
Though he walked onto the front porch under his own power, an ambulance crew and police lifted him from a porch chair to the stretcher to be taken away.
“They’re going to have to take me – I’m not leaving,” Hodges reportedly told Allen Knight Jr., a member of his extended family, who was on the porch when Hodges was put on the stretcher.
After he left, a large crew from Extraordinary Properties, a Canandaigua-based company, carried cardboard boxes inside to begin removing property from the home where Hodges had lived for decades, before it was foreclosed on by M&T Bank.
http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/for-a-90-year-old-wwii-veteran-eviction-from-his-lifelong-buffalo-home-20150709
WWII World War Two
Homeless
Posted >1 y ago
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I read the article. They literally tried everything to help the guy out. The mortgage company tried hooking him up with non-profits, another person even offered to let him live there almost rent free. The mortgage company even rented out four storage units for two months for the family. Other than just giving him the house, I don't see any other option.
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COL Vincent Stoneking
Sadly, after reading the article, I'm with you. It looks like everybody involved, and several who were third parties, went above and beyond. Unfortunately, the Mr. Hodges just crossed his arms and said "no."
I can feel for the reason for the initial default. I would take care of my wife over the mortgage as well.
However, refusing offers to help pay the mortgage, refusing to "rent" the house for $1 a year (granted with a new upstairs neighbor), etc. was not reasonable. The bank(s) it sounds like delayed the foreclosure for 4 years, and if I understood the article correctly, waited another 6-7 months to evict him once the property was sold.
I want to reflexively take Mr Hodge's side, but in this case, I can't.
I can feel for the reason for the initial default. I would take care of my wife over the mortgage as well.
However, refusing offers to help pay the mortgage, refusing to "rent" the house for $1 a year (granted with a new upstairs neighbor), etc. was not reasonable. The bank(s) it sounds like delayed the foreclosure for 4 years, and if I understood the article correctly, waited another 6-7 months to evict him once the property was sold.
I want to reflexively take Mr Hodge's side, but in this case, I can't.
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Tragic occurrence regardless of the circumstances leading up to it. I only hope that his family can assist in providing him the support and care he needs at this time.
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