There was a story in The New York Times today that made you just stop and say, wait… what?

There are, apparently, tens of thousands of homeowners in this country who — thanks to the mortgage meltdown and the ensuing foreclosure crisis — haven’t made a mortgage payment in more than five years.

“People in states like Florida, New York and New Jersey — where lenders have to sue to evict you from your house if you’re delinquent on your mortgage — many of these cases, thousands of them, have gone on for so long that they’re up against the statute of limitations,” says Michael Corkery the the Times.

Moreover, they still are living in their houses and might never have to leave, or pay another dime. 

“If you’re up against the statute of limitations and the case gets dismissed — and these cases get dismissed for all sorts of reasons,” Corkery says. “The lender can’t refile the case and you’re basically home free.”