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The morning began with prayer and turned into a flurry of community activists making phone calls to save a West Oakland family from an eviction set for today.
"I paid $550,000 for a house that wasn't worth it when I bought it," said Tosha Alberty, homeowner.
Tosha Alberty has been calling her lender for months trying to modify the loan and save her family's 10th Street home.
"I said all I'm asking them to do is to give me a chance to get the house at a price that I can afford," said Alberty.
Now she's struggling not to be homeless. Tosha lives there with her husband, a recent cancer survivor, and their four children. Both work for Alameda County, but when they bought the house in 2005, it was a different situation.
"I didn't have to have any money down -- gave him $1,000 in good faith. I didn't have a job and I got in this house," said Alberty.
The Alberty family says they're victims of predatory lending and didn't understand at the time their loan would jump up in two years, going from $3,800 a month to nearly $5,000. They made the payments for as long as possible.
"They are wanting her to pay an astronomical amount per month as opposed to what she was paying when she first got the house," said Martha Daniels, ACORN.
ACORN activist Martha Daniels, who herself was saved from a foreclosure eviction, says by banding together and fighting, all calling the banks to ask for loan modifications, and mercy, the group has been able to keep families in their homes.
"The bank just called us back so we might have something new," said an activist.
And today, there was a little success; the lender First Franklin says they will postpone the eviction order by a week.
"I feel good, I've been fighting so hard for my kids to keep this place," said Alberty.
The Alberty family will have a little more time to try and work out how to save their house, but a spokesperson from First Franklin wouldn't reveal whether it really intends to work with the family.
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