Family Facing Eviction For Having Too Many Children Buys More Time From Judge

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A couple facing eviction because they had two additional children in the past two years, got a reprieve from a judge at a court hearing on Wednesday.

But as CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported Tuesday night, the Rangel family of Schererville, Indiana is in fear of losing their home – even though they can pay their rent. The Rangels' lease outlines a maximum of two people can sleep in each of the two bedrooms. When they moved in, the couple had two children, and have since added two more in the past 18 months.

The judge on Wednesday questioned the timing of the decision by Rencon Property Management to evict them.

"They want me to find a place within a week or a month," Deborah Rangel told CBS 2. "I don't know – I can't find a job in middle of pandemic. I lost my job because of it. My husband's you know, barely working."

Rencon alerted the family of the violation in August, 2020. Documents show the family was able to sign a new lease in September – only to get slapped with the eviction notice in October.

The attorney for the property management and the family's attorney attended the virtual hearing but the Homeowners Association attorney did not. The judge wants the HOA's attorney to be present at a new hearing in mid-February to explain why they allowed the lease in 2019 and 2020 to be re-signed when it was clear then that more than four people lived in the unit.

Indiana did not extend its COVID-19 eviction moratorium, which allows for certain evictions – including those for other than nonpayment – to resume.