Seniors in distress - Essex county resources?

I've recently become aware of a senior (a friend from 30 years ago) who is facing losing their home due to non-payment of taxes.  The house has a lien holder and the lien comes due in December.   The person has no family that can help and basically has nowhere to go.  The house is in very bad disrepair.

I am trying to help this person figure out options.  I have no idea where to start.  Do any MOLers have suggestions for Essex county resources that I could look into?   

Many thanks in advance for any ideas.

Social Service in the town where he lives.

http://www.state.nj.us/humanse...

The Essex County Office on Aging

http://essexcountynj.org/senio...

Your friend needs expert advice.  She should talk to an attorney.   I could be wrong, but I believe that once the lien comes due, and your friend is in default, in order to take the house from him/her the creditor would need to go through the foreclosure process.  Once they foreclose they would then have to evict her.   I believe (but I"m not sure) the entire process could take up to a year or more.   It is also probable that the house is worth much more than the lien, and in that case she should try to sell it and pocket what she can.   

I think a bankruptcy attorney might be the direction to look in.   Ask for a pro bono consultation. 

All -- thank you so much for this input and advice.  Very much appreciated and very helpful.

Regarding bankruptcy, you can all the Essex County Bar Association and get three referrals for bankruptcy attorney offices. They will either charge nothing or $25 for an initial consultation. 

Another choice might be elder law but I suspect bankruptcy would be the better immediate response.

Update:  My friend and I had a consultation with a highly recommended bankruptcy/debt attorney.  The best (and really, only) option is to sell the home as soon as possible.  Relocation will be difficult due to age and other factors, but not impossible.  Thank you all again for your suggestions.

There is a privately sponsored senior fair being held this afternoon at the Woodland, including providers of a number of Senior-related services.  If you and/or your friend have time, you might head over there.  You may find resources that can be of further help.  Good luck. 

Joan, I stumbled across this thread and wondered if there is a place where I can find senior men who may be looking for part time work, (Mon-Fri) 9am to 2pm, in Newark, off South Orange Avenue, one block east of the Garden State Parkway. If you know of anyone, or where I might find where they may be looking for employment, please give me a call.

Thanks

Art Christensen

973-699-8276

ajc said:

Joan, I stumbled across this thread and wondered if there is a place where I can find senior men who may be looking for part time work, (Mon-Fri) 9am to 2pm, in Newark, off South Orange Avenue, one block east of the Garden State Parkway. If you know of anyone, or where I might find where they may be looking for employment, please give me a call.

Thanks

Art Christensen

973-699-8276

Art, what is the work?

I have an opening for someone to assist the repossession manager in our storage yard to log in repossessions, inventory personal property, collect redemption fees, and release vehicles to transporters and customers.

Art:

Contact Cathy Rowe.  She may know of someone looking for work plus she can list the job offer on the SOMA Two Towns For All Ages website.  Michele Wesley at the Maplewood Senior Center may know of seniors looking for work.  Another possibility is the person at the South Orange Library (don't know her name sorry) who works with the senior population in South Orange.  Have some sort of job description available:  duties, hours, location, access to public transportation, if any, since not all seniors drive, any physically taxing tasks required, etc.

Angelak:  Whatever happened with your friend?  Does she still need help with services?  Your post from last year served as a catalyst for the Seniors Advisory Committee advising the TC that we needed better assistance from the County on social services for our at risk population, still a work in progress, and a single point person who could serve as primary contact for at risk senior issues in Maplewood.  Maplewood and South Orange have now each identified their Health Department Director as that person.  

Luckily, my friend was able to sell the house and move in with a relative in Maine.  If not for the family member finally acquiescing, I don't know what would have happened.  Mental illness was involved.  The family member deserves much praise as this will not be an easy road.

Thank you for the update.  Glad to know a solution-for-now was found.  I worry so much about our at risk population here and the continued lack of effective means of identifying them and getting them the assistance they need.