Foreclosure victim gets her house back

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - MOBILE, Ala. - "The only thing I want to say is I thank God for the opportunity to come back home."

That was Marcella Moran's reaction when she received the keys to the house she lost in foreclosure in 2008.

"Two years in a row I was sick and in the hospital, and my mortgage got behind. I know I needed to pay my mortgage. Instead I paid the utilities or whatever else needed to be paid," Moran said.

Moran is moving back into the house in Trinity Gardens Monday, thanks to Mobile's new Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

NSP is a partnership with several groups spearheaded by the Bay Area Women's Coalition.

Executive Director Leevones Dubose said the goal is to help lots of other people just like Moran.

"As citizens we're not looking for a handout, we're looking for a hand-up, and the city of Mobile has done that for us," Dubose said.

Nearly two years ago, Moran and her family were forced out of the house. She never dreamed she'd someday return to the home, which is now completely renovated.

Moran danced for joy in the house. It's exactly what she dreamed of before foreclosure.

"I just want you to know without a shadow of a doubt, if you stumble you don't have to fall, and if you fall, God is going to pick you up, and put some people in place to help you out. Thank you, Jesus," she said.

A special ribbon cutting was held at the house in the Trinity Gardens community Monday. It's council member Fred Richardson's district.

"Today, we have a house that had gone down into the ashes, and like this Pheonix bird, this house has recreated itself and is ready for its owner to soar into yonder heights," Richardson said.

Mayor Sam Jones said NSP hopes to do the same thing throughout the city.

"We want to remove all the vacant houses in our community, all of the blighted houses from our community," Mayor Jones said.

The Neighborhood Stabilization Program targets foreclosed and abandoned homes in Mobile and Prichard.