Could Helping Mom Cost Him His Home?

If your Mom needed your help, most of us wouldn't hesitate to step right up. It can be quite a sacrifice if it means actually leaving your own home to move into hers. That's what one man did. Now it means he may end up with nowhere to live.

When his Mom needed him, Gregory Jones responded wholeheartedly. But his decision could come back to haunt him.

"She needed help," said Gregory. "She got sick. She was getting sick and I noticed, along with my family, we noticed she wasn't doing normal things anymore, like cooking and washing clothes."

One time his Mom, Lottie Jones, even disappeared. They had the police out looking. She wound up in the hospital. Her family had to do something. She couldn't be alone in her Queensbridge Houses apartment in Long Island City.

"I gave up my apartment out in Lefrak to come here to help my Mom out," said Gregory. "I was the closest relative to my Mom so when the caretaker would leave I'd come here and be the caretaker for my Mom. Eventually," he said, "I moved in. Yeah, that's my mother, I mean I wanted to help her."

Gregory had grown up there. It's where his mom had raised him and his five siblings. The idea was to keep her in her own home, but pretty soon she needed even more care. The family moved her into a nursing home, leaving Gregory behind in her apartment.

But Gregory's name was never put on the lease which means he might not be able to stay. That would be a hardship for Gregory, who says it's his home now and it's where his son stays with him part time.

"I want to be added to the lease. My son stays here with me for the summer, I have summer custody of my son. He goes to the boys and girls club right over here on 21st St. He's my heart."

But Gregory is no longer with his 8-year old son's mother. In fact, for a time their relationship was contentious. She had an order of protection out against him. When he got too close he was arrested and convicted, not once but twice..both misdemeanors. The Housing Authority has rules about that.

"And then where am I gonna stay? I don't want to be homeless, and my son he loves it here, and like I said, I take care of the apartment. I fixed it up, it's clean."

So far the Housing Authority has been accepting his rent checks and Gregory has a date to plead his case. The Housing Authority won't speak about it because it is in front of a judge. They do tell us this: Anybody with one or two "A" misdemeanor convictions is not eligible for housing until four years after their sentenced is served. That includes any probation or parole. And they can't have any further convictions.

Gregory points out his convictions and probation are more than five years in the past. And since then he's stayed out of trouble; he's a good father to his son; and he's a good neighbor.

"Help me keep a roof over my head in these hard economic times," he asked. "It's hard, very hard."

Here's hoping Gregory Jones gets the full consideration due him.