AARP Sues HUD

Foreclosing on those who are widows or widowers sounds pretty cruel, but it happened when HUD foreclosed on surviving spouses. The case was made due to the fact that there were rules that were established long ago regarding foreclosing on those who had lost their spouses. Isn’t the idea to keep them in their home and not kicking them out of it?


The choice of defense is AARP’s department of litigation, and in this case the HUD secretary is the defendant. The central issue of the case is in fact that there are long standing rules that state that it is illegal to foreclose on surviving spouses. The deeper issue is that those who would typically have an interest in the property can’t even make a dent in buying the home because the values are so skewed.

With homes losing value, and sales slowing down, it doesn’t leave anyone in a good position. This situation is really hard to overcome, but not all foreclosure cases are created equal. There are still many cases in which no one wants to take on the property regardless simply because it is more of a chore than a benefit.

Hopefully, these individuals will be able to stay in their homes as a result of the final ruling, but there is no way to know for sure. With so many homes underwater, it could justify these individuals keeping their homes simply because reverse mortgages were designed specifically for those age 62 and over, and this situation doesn’t add up to what the program really is all about. No wonder so many are confused about what is happening.

-Mayer Dallal