Homes

Foreclosures Create Eyesores In Communities

PALMETTO BAY (CBS4) ― The foreclosure problem is so huge, you've got good chances of having a foreclosed home in your neighborhood. Many of these abandoned homes usually turn into an eyesore for people still living on the block.

In the heart of Palmetto Bay, sitting side-by-side with near-perfect lawns, are what residents call eyesores – two homes in foreclosure, seemingly abandoned by the homeowners.

"We're not pleased about it. It makes for a messy neighborhood. It just seems to be getting worse and there's no improvement," said Dave, a resident of Palmetto Bay.

"It's a quality of life issue," said Bill Kress, spokesman for the Village of Palmetto Bay, which has already filed liens on these homes.

But Kress says the City's hands are tied.

"We're not allowed to trespass on private property. These residences are still privately held. So unless there's a life sustaining issue, we're not really able to step on the property," said Kress.

After CBS4 News started asking the local branch of Coldwell Banker about the Palmetto Bay home, manager Nancy Hogan decided to drop the listing.

"It takes a partnership to sell a property and if you don't have cooperation, you can't sell it," said Hogan, a Miami real estate broker.

Hogan sits on the County's Mortgage Fraud Taskforce. She says, in effect, nobody is taking responsibility for these growing eyesores.

"There's games being played on top of games," she said.

The big question remains – if banks foreclose on the old owners, why don't the banks pay to clean up their own mess? Congress has already approved almost $4 billion dollars in clean-up funds to help communities hit by too many foreclosed properties.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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