Norman Ospina, of Providence, is among a small group who attended a candlelight vigil last night, saying a silent prayer for all those who are homeless because of foreclosure.

The Providence Journal / Bob Thayer

PROVIDENCE — Singing “We Shall Not Be Moved” in English and Spanish, about 15 people holding a candlelight vigil last night called for a moratorium on foreclosures.

“We’re trying to save people’s homes,” said Vernon Harris of People to End Homelessness. He said 52 Webster Ave. was the center of a five-block radius in the Olneyville-Hartford area that contains at least 20 vacant, semi-vacant or abandoned properties.

“Keeping people inside their houses, in their safe warm homes, should be a most important mission of the government,” Rosalina Collazo told the candle-holders in front of a volunteer’s house at Laban Street and Webster Avenue. “Children, women, and elderly are falling into shelters because they have no choice.”

The vigil, sponsored by People to End Homelessness and DARE, was set up to ask Governor Carcieri, the General Assembly and the Bush administration to place a moratorium on foreclosure evictions until a plan is in place for dealing with the financial crisis.

Nearly two dozen paper bags, each bearing the photo of a boarded-up house nearby, were held up during a moment of silence for those who lost their homes. Sirens wailed, dogs barked, children arrived on bicycles and neighbors stared from the darkness.

Harris said his group took over the house at 52 Webster, which is in foreclosure and boarded up, for 25 days. “We moved in, cleaned the yard up, cut the grass, turned the electricity on. … We’re just trying to save the copper in the building, the woodwork, the windows. …”

Norman Ospina told neighbors not to leave if they get an eviction letter. “That is your home,” he said. “You stay.”

He urged residents facing eviction to call the Olneyville Neighborhood Association at (401) 228-8996, or DARE at (401) 351-6960.

“Many of these people can afford to pay some rent to the bank to stay in the home,” said Catherine Rhodes, also of People to End Homelessness.

Rosanna Rodriguez, who owns a two-family house nearby said she came because “I wanted to know what is going on. I don’t want to close my eyes, because when I open them, it’s going to be too late.”

dnaylor@projo.com