Porey Nassiri: The only day Hannah has ever seen me cry was on that day. I felt like the biggest loser in the world.
With a heavy heart, Porey Nassiri remembers the day he and his family were evicted from their home in Las Vegas.
Chris Hansen: Chris Hansen with Dateline--
Porey Nassiri: Porey Nassiri.
Chris Hansen: Porey. Nice to see you.
Dateline had set out to document the human suffering behind the economic meltdown. We traveled to hard hit cities like Las Vegas where we witnessed the Nassiris, forced out for not paying rent.
Porey Nassiri: January, I was at work, and I got hit by a car. So, I didn't work for seven months.
Chris Hansen: Right.
Porey Nassiri: And I just went back to work right now.
Apparently Porey hadn't told his wife they were three months behind on their rent. It was even tougher explaining what was happening to his eleven-year-old daughter, Hannah.
Hannah: Daddy.
Porey Nassiri: I try my hardest. Yes, honey. I'm sorry. (crying)
Hannah: It's okay.
Porey Nassiri: I'm so sorry, Hannah. (crying)
Chris Hansen: How do you explain this to your daughter?
Porey Nassiri: How can I explain it? That I'm a loser? That-- that's the only thing I could say is I'm a loser.
The Nassiris had just a few minutes to gather up their most important belongings before the locksmith changed the locks. Deputies gave instructions to Nassiri's wife, Leigh. A neighbor was kind enough to temporarily take them in.
"I'm gonna take em in. A roof is not a problem."
As hard as it is to witness a family suffering in this tough economy, we were hoping maybe the pain had been short-lived.
Last week, we went back to Las Vegas to catch up with the family to find out what's been happening since we last saw them. Turns out it's been quite a journey. Their stay at the neighbor's house didn't last long.
Leigh Nassiri: We had a neighbor take us in and they were evicted at the same time when we were there.
Evicted twice in a matter of weeks. A troubling journey for their young daughter.
Hannah: It was, uh, hard. Not knowing where we were going to stay. The hardest part was losing all my animals. I really wish I could have kept them. They were a part of me I can never have replaced.
The family checked into a Howard Johnson, but it was too expensive. So they moved to Budget Suites.
Porey Nassiri: I wanted to kill myself, I really did. I did not want my daughter to look at me, and keep asking me, "Daddy, when are we going to get a place to live?”
Nassiri's credit was so bad, no one wanted to rent to him.
Porey Nassiri: When we lived at budget suites I was very sad going home every day, just thinking, "C'mon Lord, help me, help me get out of this."
Another family looking for help: the Alvarezes. We were there this summer as they were evicted from their house in Miami, Fla.
Chris Hansen: Yes. What happened? How did you find yourself in this situation?
Junior Alvarez, who works for the city of Coral Gables, had been unable to pay his mortgage after the interest rate doubled. His house went into foreclosure. Later, deputies from the sheriff's office were knocking on his door.
Junior Alverez: We tried to save the house, but it was too much.
Chris Hansen: And where you gonna go now?
Junior Alverez: To be-- to be honest, I have no idea.I have two kids.
Chris Hansen: How old are your kids?
Junior Alverez: My-- my daughter's-- one year or something. (starts to cry)
Chris Hansen: One year.
Junior Alverez: My son is-- two months.
Two months old. Alvarez and his wife Maureen pack up their family, put all their belongings in storage and go looking for a place to stay.
Maureen Alverez: It was a little bit scary.
Last week, Junior told us after staying a short while with a family friend, sleeping on the floor, he and his family found an apartment. They've ended up more fortunate than many. And they are grateful. The most recent reports show the number of families about to lose their home to foreclosure is up thirty percent from last year.
Junior Alverez: My kids are safe. My wife-- I'm relieved that she's okay, because I know she has a roof. It's a quiet place.
Porey Nassiri: You know, it's a-- it's a wonderful place to be.
And theirs is not the only happy ending: The Nassiris finally found a landlord willing to give them a chance. The family has moved into this two bedroom apartment - half the size of their former home but they don't seem to mind.
Hannah: I feel like this is home, this is nice, I like having my own bedroom. I feel safe again.
Porey Nassiri: It's a beautiful little place.
Hannah: I like it.
Porey Nassiri: We all like it.
Nassiry says he's working full time as a parking valet making good money and the rent on their new place is affordable.
Porey Nassiri: I pay my rent on time. I actually feel like this is home. I mean going from saying I'm a loser to saying I'm not a loser. I'm a winner.