South Florida Fights Foreclosures Tooth and Nail

Posted in Foreclosures, August 20th, 2008 |

South Florida cities are no longer willing to lie low – they are fighting foreclosures tooth and nail. As foreclosures leave behind a trail of vacant houses it is the taxpayer’s who are feeling the pinch of keeping the neighbourhood safe and clean. Deerfield Beach has sanctioned money for the maintenance of foreclosed units.

The foreclosure numbers are galloping ahead in Florida without any signs of slowing down. The rates spiked in Broward and Miami-Dade counties within one year from 2006 to 2007. Miami-Dade reported 9,814 foreclosures in2006. This increased to 26,931 in 2007. In Broward County the jump was from 516 to 3,616 in 2007. This is having a chain reaction on those who are not foreclosed upon for indirect reasons. Property values of all are plumbing down with neighbourhoods becoming unsafe hemmed in by vacant foreclosed houses.

Dino Lapena is a resident of Deerfield Beach. He complained that the adjacent property has remained derelict since it was foreclosed. This is bringing a bad name to the entire locality that was once a ‘nice neighbourhood’. He said that a nearby house that had been worth $300,000 was sold for $180,000. There are no buyers despite the surge in vacant foreclosed units.

Deerfield Beach Commission approved last week the sanctioning of $50,000 as emergency fund to appoint contractors for mowing lawns, cleaning pools etc. Some of the fetid pools are breeding mosquitoes and disease is spreading. At places the grass is 4’ high reported Michael Mahaney the city manager.

Deerfield Beach noted 81 foreclosures in 2007 but this year it has already crossed 600 in June 2008. A meeting of the Code Enforcement Board was held to decide on the condition of the foreclosed vacant houses. Mahaney wanted as many as 37 houses to be declared unsafe and a threat to the locality. This will not solve the continuing foreclosure problem but it will somewhat address the safety and health related issues of the locality. The money will be realized by placing liens on the properties that will be dealt with. It is uncertain when the money will be realized but what is certain that prevention will be taken so that innocent children do not die from West Nile fever. When the board gives the green signal, clearing and cleaning operations will swing into action from Thursday.

Palmetto Bay leaders are taking similar action.