Foreclosures Are Spelling More Work For Villages

Posted in Foreclosures, August 14th, 2008 |

Foreclosures are no longer confined to the urban and metropolitan centres of USA but are spilling over to the rural countryside. Foreclosures are spelling more work for the villages.

The code enforcement officers in Oswego and Montgomery are busy trimming lawns in vacant houses. It is straining their working power this summer. Till 31st July there were 49 bank repossessions in Oswego (zip code 60543) and 104 in Montgomery (zip code 60538) including the sub division of Boulder Hill. Most of these houses are lying vacant and neglected dotting the rural countryside.

Oswego village administrator, Gary Adams says that the village has been utilizing its own staff or appointing private landscapers to trim the grass of about 15 houses in the village during the past three months. The number of yards that need trimming has increased over the past few years. He adds that the number is not about a hundred requiring attention per day, but there are quite a few units that are falling apart with the wild taking it over. The administration has tried its level best to locate the lenders but when that fails they have to take on the task themselves. After all it is their neighbourhood that is at stake. The village has placed liens on abandoned properties that need urgent maintenance works. Adams added that in the end the village will get paid back when the deal goes through because the village liens will also have to be cleared before any sale is effected.

The community development director of Montgomery, Jane Tompkins, told the board of the village on 22nd July that about 80 houses in the village are in foreclosures. She said “As these properties become vacant, some lawn aren’t getting mowed; houses just aren’t being maintained.” Randy Caho is the code enforcement officer of the village. He has been spending a lot of time trying to locate he lenders, usually the banks and mortgage companies, regarding this maintenance issue. He is not always successful. Meanwhile a landscaping company has been given the job to mow lawns where the grass is overgrown beyond permissible limits. It is taking up a lot of time, energy and funds. The neighbours are a worried lot concerned about the vacant properties inviting all kinds of trouble. Primarily the values of the adjacent houses are going down. Then there is the law and order problem apart from spread of disease from unkempt property.