California is community property, community debt.
Assuming the condo was purchased while they were married, it doesn’t matter who the breadwinner was. Same with the downpayment – it co-mingled as soon as it was put into the jointly owned property.

I also take offense at the idea that the wife wasn’t working. Being a full-time SAHP is the hardest job. She may not have been being paid, but she was working.

Friends who were in a similar situation came to a deal – the agreed that she kept the house – negative equity and all – but was responsible for payments going forward. He got an equivilent debt from credit cards. They split the debt.

All of this is separate from child support – that has nothing to do with the condo or who keeps it. Non-custodial parent pays child support – period.