A national housing activist group is threatening legal action to force Lake County's sheriff to halt the sale of foreclosed properties.

The Lake County Council recently endorsed the group's proposal for a temporary moratorium on home foreclosures to give homeowners more time to try to save their homes.

But Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez contends that he's legally obligated to carry out the foreclosures ordered by judges and to administer regular sales of foreclosed property.

Eric Weathersby is the executive director of the Northwest Indiana chapter of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.

He says the sheriff is unwilling to interrupt the revenue stream his office collects by enforcing foreclosure notices.

Weathersby says his group may go to court to force a halt to Lake County's foreclosure sales.