LAKE CITY, Ga. -- The owners of a metro Atlanta home featured on ABC’s "Extreme Home Makeover" kept their home from being sold at auction Tuesday by filing for bankruptcy.

The 5,500-square-foot Clayton County home, located on Ahyoka Drive in Lake City, was in foreclosure for the second time in less than a year. It was scheduled to be sold on the courthouse steps Tuesday.

Clayton Court records showed homeowner Milton Harper filed Monday for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which stalls the foreclosure.

Harper said he owes his creditors $100,000 - $500,000 including the mortgage company, six credit cards, two pawn shops and a cell phone company.

When consumer investigator Jim Strickland visited the home Friday, he didn’t get answers to his questions.

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SLIDESHOW: Clayton County Extreme Makeover

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But when he visited home owner Patricia Harper eight months ago, she told Strickland it was no one's business that the house so many people had contributed time and money into building was in foreclosure.

“In a case like this ... it's just heart-wrenching. I just don't understand,” said Lake City Mayor Willie Oswalt.

Oswalt said the Harper's finances do matter to the public because along with foreclosure again, the Harpers haven't paid their city garbage bill in a year and a half.

“Well it was in November of 2006 ... and their current bill is $432,” said Oswalt.

Bystanders told Channel 2 Action News that the entire situation is saddening.

“Because it's depressing for me ... I work every day to pay for mine,” said Angela Clayton.

Chase said the Harper family again defaulted on a $450,000 second mortgage. They'd worked out a plan to save the home the last time.

“I don't like to owe anybody $10 ... you talking about $450,000. I don't understand, I don't comprehend,” said Oswalt.