Woman, 82, to lose Inglewoood home where she lived for 35 years over fees

“I said they’re going to have to kill me, it’s that bad.”

May 24, 2021

An 82-year-old Inglewood woman is in need of a superhero or a generous Good Samaritan who will save her home from foreclousure by covering the $38k she owes in HOA fees.

Marie Riggins and her late husband purchased their dream house in Inglewood’s Carleton Square gated community in 1986, and they planned for it to be their forever home. However, as the years passed, life would present the couple with many nightmarish challenges to overcome. Riggins’s husband lost his battle with pancreatic cancer, and she ultimately had to file for bankruptcy. In 2017 she began to fall behind on homeowner association dues, now totaling $38,000.

“My blood, sweat and tears are in this house,” said Riggins, who continues to work in bookkeeping, as reported by KTLA. “This is my home, this is where I’m going to stay.”

Rigged is refuting the amount the HOA claims she owes.

“There’s no way in the world that I would owe $38,000,” she said. “That meant I never paid my property dues.”

According to reports, her home is located across from the $5 billion newly constructed SoFi stadium and is now worth nearly $1 million.

Per the report, the home is in foreclosure and will soon be owned by the bank.

“I have spent too much money to just say, ‘OK here take it.’ … And there’s no way in the world I can get out of here in a month,” she said, “Where am I supposed to go?”

Riggins is speaking to the media about her ordeal, hoping for a miracle.

“I’m trying to pay them to get my title back because I don’t plan to move from here. My husband died here. It makes me sick,” she said. “I said they’re going to have to kill me, it’s that bad.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to help Riggins. A description on the page reads:

This GoFundMe campaign is fully authorized by Marie Riggins, an 82 year old woman who currently resides in Inglewood, California. She owned a home in the community development known as Carlton Square. Ms. Riggins is a widowed woman, who fell on some financial hardships due to the passing of her husband. These financial issues came to a head, when the Carlton Square HOA ultimately foreclosed on her property in 2020. The Los Angeles County Sheriff has placed a lockout notice on her door, and within less than 30 days, she will be permanently locked out of the home she has resided in for the past 30+ years. Ms. Riggins has retained our services to negotiate additional time to stay the lockout.

One donor commented on the campaign with, “I am born and raised in Compton, Ca but now reside in Houston, Tx and I truly believe that God put this story in my face for a reason. All I could think of was my granny being put in this type of predicament which I could not bare. I would like to think that people would help like I am. Everything is going to be ok Ms. Riggins!!!!”

Another added, “I don’t believe it was an accident I heard her story on KJLH this morning,” the donor wrote.”I believe God chose who He wanted to hear and react, praises to God for using me to give Him glory.”

Riggins has made clear that she is “not going to stand around here and let them take the home that I worked hard for.”

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!