The Youngest Victims Of Foreclosure

In Midst Of Mortgage Crisis, Kids Are Left In Limbo - But There's Some Help Available

(CBS)  It's the week after spring break and instead of hitting the books, 11-year-old Matthew Antico is helping his mom, Sharon, and brother, Wesley, pack boxes.

"Lots of memories on the walls, I notice," CBS News correspondent Kelly Cobiella said.

"Yes, me and my friends drew all this," Matthew said.

He's also saying goodbye to his childhood room.

"I'm gonna have to make all new friends," Matthew said. "It stinks."

The Anticos are leaving their Bradenton, Fla., home because they have to. The bank foreclosed on it in February after Sharon lost her job and fell behind on the mortgage.

For the first time in her life, she and her kids are homeless.

"What do you do when you have kids and you're in that situation?" Sharon Antico said. "You don't know what to do; you really don't know what to do."

They're not alone. In their county of Manatee, 400 kids are homeless due to the foreclosure crisis.

And the numbers are rising in other housing hot-zones across the country. Cleveland public schools have nearly 1,700 homeless students, 500 more than a year ago. Minneapolis schools have 5,600, up more than 1,000 more homeless kids than last year.

Deb Bailey runs Project Heart, a group helping homeless families on Florida's west coast.

"It's not even the tip of the iceberg," she said.

Her group is financed in part by the Manatee School District to help kids better deal with the effects of foreclosure.

"There is a period of grief, a period of anger and a period of 'why me?' and for children it is a very difficult adjustment," said Roger Dearing, Manatee School District superintendent.

Matthew's mom found a family friend willing to take them in, but the tiny house is much farther from school.

Project Heart helped convince the district to go miles out of its way to keep Matthew with the same kids and teacher.

"Because it is monumental everything that he finds stable outside of here is in upheaval," Nick Leduc, a teacher in Matthew's school district, said.

Despite that, Matthew's grades are strong, his outlook stronger.

"I don’t really let it get to me because me and my mom and my brother know that God's going to bless us someday," Matthew said.

They would need $2,000 for their own apartment - a goal that feels as out of reach now as their old home.

[lizardbate]

Big, Rich, Greed is what is running the United States !!!!! Screw the little people we don''t need them!!!!!!!!! If you can''t pay your mortgage sleep in the ditch, they don''t care.

[cyberus-2009]

And just wait ... the best is yet to come! Tax time when the big corps write off the losses they incurred putting these people on the street .. then the government can say they don''t have the money to help all the homeless people because tax income is down.

[element51]

I have read many, many posts here on this board where people say "tough *****" to those who are having a difficult time. They say that if you can''t take care of yourself than it''s your problem not theirs. They are against any kind of social programs including social security and medicare. They say people who are poor are poor because they are lazy and don''t want to work. They say that the ultra rich should get to keep their money and that they deserve more tax breaks. They say it is the rich who give the most. They say that if a person can afford a 10 thousand Rolex while others are going hungry, that is perfectly all right. They say that the country is in the trouble it''s in because of liberals. Those dirty nasty stupid liberals who brought us social security, medicare, civil rights and a host of other ills of society. I wonder what side those people vote on. They never say.

[jonesforch]

Too bad the father did not pay his child support. As the they say rolls now hill. Best of luck Anticos .

[payasyougo]

"I have read many, many posts here on this board where people say ..."

I think this can be distilled into:

1. People need to be responsible for their own decision and actions.

2. Our tax dollars shouldn''t have to come to the rescue for every problem that man seems get himself into. Especially when it happens during a runnup to an election.

3. Stuff happens. The integrity and strength of a person is their ability to meet the challenge and work through it. Adjust, adapt, move on. That is life.

And I don''t know anyone that owns a rolex so I can''t speak for them.

[stevador39]

The U.S. sends Aid workers and money around the world; we take in huge numbers of refugees from around the world and illegal aliens crowd the welfare rolls and schools. At the same time Americans are turned onto the street because there is no money for them. Charities and religions are making money off international aid. The whole thing is a real ''creep show.''

[element51]

payasyougo....No arguement here. You are assuming however that everyone who needs help is at fault for their misfortune. A guy who lives down the street worked for the city...as a ditch digger. He was working and a ditch caved in on him and broke his back. He is now paralized for life. You''re saying, well screw him...he should have managed better. It is true that there are those who abuse the system and I hold them in utter contempt. But if there were not some safeguards in place lots of people would suffer. I''m glad to pay my tax money to help people. I think we, as a society, have a responsibility to care for those of us who are weaker and cannot carry 100% of their load. Christ said, "that which you do to your brother, you do to me". I admire that guy. And I do own one of those watches. It says ROLLAX right on it and the guy said it was a real watch. (feeble attempt at humor)

[payasyougo]

"Big, Rich, Greed is what is running the United States! Screw the little people..."

I hear this a lot from some relatives, one a good example. She has cable w/ HBO, $70/mo internet service (because that is all they offer), eats out twice a day (my suggestion make sack lunches was replied with "I''m not like you, I need to get away from work"). She rents but she is three month behind on her truck payment.

I feel sorry for her. Not sorry that she''s poor by choice, which she is, but because she really was never taught to the basic equation of either earn more to support your lifestyle or spend less to a lower lifestyle.

I think she knows it but just doesn''t want to make the sacrifices of a reduction in lifestyle. In her late fouties now I''m sure it will be the fault of the rich that are not taxed enough as why she can''t make it on social security. If she lives that long. She is a at least a pack a day smoker.

My relatives are a microcosm of the nation. Some know what they are doing and live appropriately within their means, others don''t and expect everyone else that are "more blessed than them" to help them out. We did that for over 25 years. All it did was postpone the inevitable. I''m beyond sympathy. I''m in the stage of utter disbelief that these folks can keep up the lie.

We won''t let them starve or end up on the street. But we won''t support their lifestyle - especially one we don''t even subscribe to.

[element51]

payasyougo...Still on the same page. It''s people like you describe who *** it for those truly in need. I agree that those who can do should do. If they''re to dam lazy to take care of themselves they certainly don''t deserve someone elses hard earned money. The problem is, how do you separate those deadbeats from the truly deserving? I guess until we can answer that question we are stuck with the check.

[payasyougo]

"We did not reach out for the ''''public dole'''', but rather we suffered."

I look back and never claim to have suffered. We were poor. It''s just the way it was. Never having tasted any kind of higher lifestyle, we never realized we were missing anything.

As for packing up and moving and making new friends, welcome to the lifestyle of military service where families move every two or three years. Hundreds of thousands of people do this in service of our country every couple years...

[emused]

My parents grew up during the depression.I guess now would be a good time to go back to the well(of experience) for some tried and true ways to get through the coming (economic)storm and the wake that follows.

[newsterl]

Project Heart helped convince the district to go miles out of its way to keep Matthew with the same kids and teacher."

In other words forcing the other property owners around there to foot the bills for this- that nice $4 a gallon diesel fuel the big yellow limo runs on at about 3 MPG in the city.


"What do you do when you have kids and you''re in that situation?" Sharon Antico said. "

You make lifestyle choices and plan BEFORE getting pregnant, you ask yourself ''can I REALLY afford this kid if I''m not working for some reason?''


"There is a period of grief, a period of anger and a period of ''why me?''"

Why you; poor planning, having kids before being financially responsible and stable, signing a mortgage for far in excess of what you can afford, not reading the fine print about balloon payments, putting everything on credit, failing to save money instead of buying that $1,500 TV set on credit, making do with a used car instead of that brand new $45,000 weenie-mobile-SUV-tank you drive.

That''s why you.

[rudy654-2009]

2,000 dollars for an apartment!!! Why has it gotten so out of hand?

[rudy654-2009]

No child left behind" - yeah, RIGHT!!!

Posted by Simplemind2 at 10:16 PM

We all know that "No Child Left Behind" is just the framing of the destruction of public education.

[ranger1948]

baldman2
I think you would be an excellent candidate for president. Don''t have a college degree, so what, you got your degree from the college of hardknocks. I think you could be what this country needs now.

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by newsterl at 12:25 AM

Here''s news for newster. When she had a job she could afford it! DUHHH! Lifestyle choices???? How about she shoot herself, would that make you happy?

[rudy654-2009]

Anyway, the point is that we gotta live within our means. If we can''''t afford an SUV, so be it. I don''''t care if your neighbor has one -- if you can''''t afford it then you can''''t afford it. Sorry. Not my problem. If you want the creature comforts, then you have to be willing to step up and try to earn them. I don''''t care if it is hard to do so -- I do not want to pay your way.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by baldman2 at 12:19 AM

Well let''s see. She had to go live with a friend instead of living on the street. Is that okay with you?

[ranger1948]

newsterl
You do not know the circumstances if this womans case. She was probably married, her and her husband both working when they bought the home, they split up and she tried to keep the house, which she did till she was laid off. Give the lady a break. Know the facts before you comment.

[ranger1948]

rudy654
At least she had a friend she could go to. Do you ?

[newsterl]

" When she had a job she could afford it! DUHHH! Lifestyle choices???? How about she shoot herself,
Posted by rudy654"

You are ASSUMING that, I also meant the comment in general for the wider crowd of idiots who dont read their mortgage contracts and then act surprised when their payment on their $300,000 house goes up $600 a month and they go bankrupt and foreclose. The article was about FORECLOSURES.



newsterl
You do not know the circumstances if this womans case. She was probably married, her and her husband both working when they bought the home, they split up and she tried to keep the house, which she did till she was laid off. Give the lady a break. Know the facts before you comment.

Posted by ranger1948

Looks like you dont know either, ''probably'' doesnt cut it as fact. I also meant the comment in general for the wider crowd of idiots who dont read their mortgage contracts and then act surprised when their payment on their $300,000 house goes up $600 a month and they go bankrupt and foreclose. The article was about FORECLOSURES.

[ranger1948]

newsterl You posted without knowig the fcts or reading the story. It said she managed the payments until she lost her job. This could happen to ayone. It doesn''t show she is some deqdbeat who wouldn''t work. Learn to show some compassion.

[newsterl]

See, the difference between those who lose their homes and ME is, when I bought my house I didnt buy a $300,000 house taking 80% of my income, I bought a fixer up and I made EXTRA payments every month on the principle, 5 years ago I paid off MY mortgage in full in just under 6 years that way while taking home just about $350/week at the time.

I bought a USED, good late model car instead of new- no comp insurance needed either- that saved $, registration was $20 annually instead of hundreds for a new car.

Now I run my own business on-line thru Ebay and my web site, and the money rolls in.
So if *I* can do it anyone can, if I can find a house and pay it off in less than 6 years in full taking home $350/week AND start a business, then y''all can get off your butts and stop whining and DO something about your situation- take a class, start a business on Ebay, mow lawns, but don''t WHINE about how tuff you have it in your $300,000 house -lost because of a balloon payment you didnt know about because you didnt read the CONTRACT!
My house is my first house, but *I* knew to be sure to get a FIXED rate mortgage no matter what, and with no prepayment penalties- I even asked about both BEFORE I signed anything.

[ranger1948]

ema253
I like your idea. I am living in Thailand and the people here have taught me much about helping others. I think we all need to pull together. When i go to the store i buy candy bars and pass out to the childrern on the way home. Some parents can never afford to buy candy for their children. First i met the parents and then the neighbors, now i know everyone in my neighborhood. Seeing the smiles on the childrens faces is the greatest gift for me.

[newsterl]

You posted without knowig the fcts or reading the story. It said she managed the payments until she lost her job. This could happen to ayone. It doesn''''t show she is some deqdbeat who wouldn''''t work. Learn to show some compassion.

Posted by ranger1948


As did you, ''managed'' payments sounds pretty shaky. No one is required to live in San Francisco or an expensive city in Florida either, for what a ''shack'' in San Francisco or Longbeach costs you can buy a HUGE house on acres of land in the midwest.
You don''t need a 4500 sq ft house with 3 car heated garage.

[ranger1948]

newsterl
I am happy things worked out so well for you and i must say it was due to your dilligent planning and intelligence. However i hvce met people who had no idea how to manag their money. I used to serve papers for hot checks. One old lady would write ten or 15 checks to her grocery store each month that would bounce costing her $30 per check in fees. When i got to know her i asked why she did this every month. She said her social security ran out about the middle of the month and she had to eat. I explained to her that when she needed to buy food buy enough to finish out the month, wrirte only one check and she would save on collection fees. Within two months she was not writing bad checks anymore.

[ranger1948]

newsterl
Think about what it would cost her to move from florida to the midwest. I dounbt that she has the money to make the move or pay deposits for a new place.

[newsterl]

I should also add that when I was paying my mortgage the first year I sent in TWO payment coupons each month so that after a year I was ONE YEAR ahead on my payments which was designed to also be a safety net just in case.

That plus making extra payments on the principal every month was how I paid off my 2 BR house on 1/2 acre in less than 5 years.

[ranger1948]

baldman2
I agree with you. I have never been jealous of what anyone else has or how much they own. If they can afford it i am happy for them. I myself have been fortunate financially as i have a very good retirement. I travel when and where i want to. I worked for 44 years i think i gave enough back. I am 100% disabled Vietnam vet, have a son who is 100% disabled froim getting hurt on active duty with the rangers, have a daughter who returned from Iraq last week and another son getting ready to join army rangers. I yhink my family has supported this country totally.

[newsterl]

Ranger- dude, you''re preaching to the choir here, for I''ve been IN the situation of losing a job, moving across the country, not finding work and being evicted and living in a bus on the street for a few weeks- that was 21 years ago.
The same month my dad was in the hospital with a triple by-pass, a cousin died and grandma died of a blood clot in the hospital after being hit by a car, and I was 3000 miles away with no money, no phone, no electric, no credit cards, 5 dogs and no one to help. I rolled up pocket change for dog food and got a food box as well. That year was rock bottom, after that I vowed never to be dependent on a landlord OR employer ever again. Now I own my house, a business and a fine collection of nice antiques and don''t owe a dime.

Good you helped the old lady, I dont know why people cant learn how to manage their own money and budget, its not hard- as a 9th grade drop-out if I can do it anyone can.

[radiob-2009]

Hopefully this children will not become "gamins" of our society. Hopefully economics 101 will become a mandatory class in all schools and that a program similiar will be available to the general public. This story is a reflection on our society in many ways one a lack of "light" to those who borrow and two the diminishing job market thanks to both political parties over the last 30+ years for outsourcing without providing protection clauses. The pot is simmering in America to take America back from the "bourgeise" of politics and corporations and restore it to the people. Neither political party is providing answers to the many questions and problems they have help create.

[andrew_693]

Don''t forget to vote for MaCchicken in the next election!, enjoy foreclosures and the loss of your job!!. At least you don''t have marines and their al quaeda friends showing up in your house to kill you like it is for those poor people in irak who not only lost their homes and had to go into exile in some cases they could loose their lives. Something you won''t have to experience.Keep your petty problems.

[radiob-2009]

Posted by andrew_693
I beleive that you fail to see that evil whether manifesetd in Al Queda or the corporations are no different in the end, they want your soul, your heart and if you are unwilling to submit to them they will grind you under. This problem has been going on since time began and we have not shed the light of love to all to vanquish it.

[slim1h2o]

"I don%u2019t really let it get to me because me and my mom and my brother know that God''s going to bless us someday," Matthew said.

At least this kid has a good outlook of life, if I were in that situation I would find it hard to have such a positive outlook.

[Netterz]

The main problem in the mortgage crisis is the predatory lending. These companies figure out your ''budget'' for you and then assess an amount you can pay based on a ridicoulously low payment for a year or 2, on a far to expensive home then bury or slide over the ''adjustable rate'' part leading most people to beleive that this rate would work in there favor some how. When the time frame is up the payment has atleast doubled in some cases have tripled to up to 80% of the income. They are setting people up for failure, losing there homes,ruining credit, taking yrs to try and rebuild. People in mortgage brokering will lie about anything to get these people in DEEP debt, lead them to beleive that they can make payments that arent even remotely possible. NO account for other bills, car payments, no chance to save a dime. Our political leaders on BOTH sides have allowed this, and in many cases endorsed this kind of thing. I have seen my daughters friends, just starting out there lives, with perfect credit, have it completely ruined in a year, over predators in all levels of the banking industry, be it homes, car loans, credit cards, student loans, many more. If some one who has had a solid jobfor 20 ys, can go to work on any given day and see chained doors, because the company went bust and gave no warning...how can people survive? How can young people even hope to get started in life?

[Netterz]

If these financial institutions had ANY common sense, or show some consideration for the customers who have been padding there wallets for yrs, would refinance these people at a payment they can afford, and do ANYTHING they possibly can to keep these families in there homes instead of tossing them in the street like yesterdays garbage. It seems like it would make more sense to get a little LESS money, than NO MONEY, for all these houses that are sitting empty. The Gov''t could enforce something, but there sitting in there luxury homes, driving expensive cars, on our hard earned money, with there never ending perks,perfect health care, and excellent retirement programs. They are unaffected. They are safe, they created there own retirement programs, because they KNEW there would be no Social Security, by giving it away to those who never paid in a dime. BOTH SIDES have failed the American people, sold out to Corp America, and other countries, and have left us with nothing. But all is good in the Gov''t. They are just fine, not a financial worry in the world.

[nonayabiness]

I lost not one, but TWO jobs right as I was to return from (unpaid) maternity leave. The day before my return I got an e-mail (how impersonal?) stating my full time job with a state dept. had been discontinued. How disappointing! However, I had another PT job with another state dept. and that position was eliminated too.

[ranger1948]

newsterl
The situation with the old lady was she had received very little education, probably had been a housewife most of her life then her husband died and she was surviving on social security benefits. I feel i showed compassion doing bill collecting. I had a black lady who had written several bad checks to domino''s pizza. I showed up , she lived in a shack with a 6 year old boy. The father had left and refused to help support the boy. She worked minimun wage and it wasn''t enough to pay all the bills. I asked why she kept writing checks to dominos, her explanation was i have to feed my boy. I explained if she spent the $20 on food instead of pizza it would feed both of them for a few days at a time. She looked dumbfounded but took my advice and in a few weeks she was not writing bad checks either. I am not racist i like helping people of all races. We help the less fortunate here in Thailand as well. THE average wage here is $3 to $11 a day. Hard for anyone to live on that and prices are steadily going up on everything here. As an American i am considered rich here and if people need help they come to my wife and ask to borrow money. I tell her to lend it to them and they alwqays pay it back when they can. They are very honest here.

[jehovahwtnss]

Perhaps there''s something to be said for communal living like the Yearning for Zion Ranch in Texas.
At least the children there weren''t homeless, although they soon could be if things keep going the way they are

[ranger1948]

I think Mathews attitude reveals that he was brought upin a good homewith love and moral standards. I think this speaks highly of his mother. I hope things get beter for them. I think they are a good family and deserve a break.

[ranger1948]

baldman2
I agree with your statement.

newsterl
I didn''t read where that she had a 4500sq ft house with a three car garage or was living in an expensive neighborhood. I t did say she was managing until she lost her job. Tjhat could happen to anyone.

[ranger1948]

newsterl
I grew up in the midwest and do not like living there at all. The winters are miserable, the crime rate is as high as any place else.

[ranger1948]

newsterl
If i offended you i apologize, that was not my intent. I come on these forums to have intelligent conversations and even if i don''t agree with someone i respect their right to have different opinions.

[shanev137]

Republican motto:

"No child left a dime"

[barbaraf4]

Many of these foreclosures are the result of first-time buyers getting hoodwinked by crooked lenders. I am convinced that a first-time buyer will do just about anything to get into a home. This includes not bothering to read any of the paperwork. I''ve seen the "let''s just get into the house, we will worry about the details later" mentality many times.

Should you read the paperwork? Of course!! Then question what you don''t understand and refuse the loan even if it means losing the house. We have choices.

What I don''t understand is how the lenders are able to sleep at night when they give credit to people who do not have a prayer of meeting the commitment.

[mcvet]

Hey everyone just rush right out and vote for MORE Trickle Down and MORE Republican''s! That way we can continue to hear and see stories JUST LIKE THIS! How many of these stories did you hear or read during the 90''s? LOL Sieg Heil Bush!!

[excoachken]

More and more, as a result of the "leadership" of the Cowardly Cowboys, America is sounding like some awful place in a Dickens'' novel.

[jackknows]

As more and more companies pukll out of the USA due to the infamous NAFTA and tax rebates for doing such. More and more families will lose their homes and lives. The present course of direction is the biggest blunder in America, high paid corporate execs getting grossly exagerated severnce packages, while the companies they ran go under and us, the little guys struggling to buy milk and food for our children. if you have space, set your traps for wild game and plant a garden, it is going to be the only way to eat healthy. The rest of your money is going to pay for someone''s luxury yacht.

[bgwinnett]

More and more, as a result of the "leadership" of the Cowardly Cowboys, America is sounding like some awful place in a Dickens'''' novel.

Posted by excoachken at 07:41 AM : Apr 24, 2008

Yes we are going back to Dickensian times.That is what happens when you resurrect Laissez-faire economics from the 19th Century, this type of thinking gave the world a two decade depression - "The Long Depression" - at the end of the 19th Century,it''s going to give us, a just as long, but hopefully not a deeper one as well,like the Great Depression was.We are all complicit in this disaster though, by allowing it to start in the 1980''s, electing president who put into practice these "voodoo economics".

[luvny-2009]

A friend of mine is holding on by a thread now paying INTEREST only on their house. They had a con man (who no longer works there) from HSBC tell them their tax and insurance was in the mortgage payment etc. They were trusting and after multiple back and forths they believed him and signed off only to find out none was included. They lost their job and moved to another town for a job. They are trying to sell and hope to God the bank will accept whatever they can get for the house. HSBC has told them they pretty muxh need to jump hoops. They were told college loans (another scam from Sallie Mae told them they could redo once out of school and combine them BUT even tho they say student loands they are not the student loans you can roll together etc) do not count as a debt to them so by trying to get a short sale is almost impossible. Then we wonder why people just let the houses go. Banks don''t want to work with them. They''d rather pay $70,000 to forclose than ok a sale $10,000 short of the mortage. They''ve already got thousands in interest from paying on the house interest only for months.

[vanvanvan-2009]

12 million children will lose thier housing from foreclosures and or evictions now.
In ten years it will be like the courts ordering all the childern out of thier homes in the U.S.