Single Mother Takes Back Foreclosed Lincoln Heights Home
LINCOLN HEIGHTS (CBSLA.com) — A single mother is back inside her foreclosed home this evening two weeks after she says LA County Sheriff's forcibly removed her.
Soledad Corona, and about 20 others -- members of Occupy LA -- broke the lock and are now holed up inside her former residence.
Corona spoke with CBS2 and KCAL9 reporter Amanda Burden about her ordeal. "I'm not with my daughter, and I'm homeless for the holidays."
The single mom to a teenaged daughter told Burden her bank -- Bank of America -- promised they wouldn't evict her during the holidays. But she says on December 14th, they did just that.
And Corona says sheriff's were anything but sensitive while forcing her out. "I felt that they abused their power. They treated me as if I had a meth lab or something."
Corona and the Occupy LA supporters are barricading themselves inside the property with signs, food and Christmas lights.
Her home, in fact, is blanketed with signs ... most accusing the bank of cruelty, greed and theft.
Carlos Marroquin of Occupy LA says, "We realize that there are thousands of families out there that are being evicted, suffering by the hand of these banks, during the holidays, even though they have promised that they are not going to do that, and we need that to stop."
Steve Whitmore, a spokesperson for the LA County Sheriff's Department, says sheriff's only go in "with sensitivity, with integrity, and professionalism. And we go in and we very, very calmly make sure the situation is in control."
He said it's against policy to evict during the holidays. "The Sheriff has delayed evictions till after the Christmas holidays -- because he believes people should have Christmas in their own home," Whitmore said.
A written release from Occupy LA earlier today said Corona was removed from her house by gunpoint but she says that is not exactly the case.
For now, Corona is happy to back in her old home -- even if the return might only be temporary. "It's overwhelming, but to me, I finally feel like I can relax and sleep and hopefully other people know that there's help for them."
