Letitia Lowe, who had owned the house since January of 2004, lost the 306 Hosanna Circle residence; after she lost her job she had difficulties keeping up with her mortgage and got behind, according to the Americus-Sumter County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Ms Lowe carried her unemployment check and submitted it to the Habitat official that she was getting less than $80.00 weekly.

Matt Wright, NAACP branch president said New Horizons Habitat for Humanity should have worked with her more in getting her to make her payments. In a letter written to the group, he also questions and alleges why Lowe didn't find out until after she lost her house and found another job, that she could have made a $3,261 payment to keep the structure. "She should have been able to keep the home," Wright said.

Lowe moved into the three-bedroom home with joy in 2004, when her dream came true of owning a home. Then she got laid off from her job at Hickory Springs and started falling behind on her mortgage. Lowe said she was informed by New Horizons on Nov. 12 of last year to move out two days later because she was getting evicted - unless she could come up with the $33,000 she was behind. Asecond court order to evict Lowe and her sons was issued on Dec. 11. Wright said Lowe had filed for bankruptcy, but it still wasn't able to stop the foreclosure process.

According to the NAACP letter, the home was advertised for sale on Oct. 6 on the Sumter County courthouse steps. But Wright said Lowe didn't find out until afterwards from one New Horizons representative that she could have paid $3,261 to keep the house.

"We want to know if this is true and if so 'why was there confusion'" he said. Matt said the NAACP also has an issue with Habitat selling the mortgages to companies that charge interest. These companies are called note holders and according to the records, the note holder is charging her interest. We want to know who is paying the interest being charged by the note holder.

"These are supposed to be no interest homes," Wright said. One document shows $43,000 total payment for the home but the amount financed is $80,000,b why?

Lowe is the latest in New Horizons Habitat for Humanity homeowners that the NAACP has alleged to have had problems keeping their home after running into some financial difficulties. When Teresa Sneed and her three young children moved into her new New Horizons Habitat for Humanity home in Oglethorpe, GA in November of 1996, it was a dream comes true for her.

This nurse worked her 1,500 sweat equity hours in construction and paid her $680 closing costs as part of the deal to get the home as well as paid for her stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, washer and dryer. Sneed's balance at the time of foreclosure was $12,000.00 and it was reported that the home sold for over $28,000.00. We want to know if this is true and who gets the $16,000.00?

She was only the second homeowner in Macon County to receive a Habitat home, calling it one of the happiest days in her life...

But then in October of 2004, the bottom began to fall out of her home. She seriously injured her lower back, neck and right shoulder -- lifting a patient at a nursing home. Sneed, who also had a second job, and had to get on workman's compensation while waiting for the case to settle; but only received a fraction of her regular income, said Mr. Wright.

The NAACP also has taken up her fight as well as another homeowner, Betty Williams, of Americus, who ran into red tape with Habitat after she and the NAACP said her insurance company wouldn't pay for all damages her home sustained in a storm, damages which must be paid to Habitat.

After an unreasonable long period of delay she finally received the insurance check so that she can do the needed repairs on her home.

"These people had long term dreams of owning a home, and it shouldn't be wiped away because they have run into some difficulty beyond their control," Wright said. Wright said he plans to go to the United States Attorney General's Office if his complaints to Habitat are not satisfactorily resolved on behalf of these innocent victims. What type of home owners' insurance policy does NHHFH have on these homes and if the homeowner qualified to purchase the home? Records show that NHHFH is the co-signer for loans for the note holder and is this arrangement explained to the buyer.