Lake Worth has had a serious blight and slum problem and the mortgage meltdown contributed heavily to it. Also a contributing factor, in my opinion, is the one day a week irrigation policy and the new landscape policy that does everything to discourage homeowners from having a good looking lawn. Consequently, the properties look run-down and then quickly become run-down. It is a snow-balling effect. We have over 1,100 properties in Lake Worth in pre-foreclosure.
The banks caused the problem with complex financial schemes and they are still playing games by delaying the foreclosure process. They don't want to pay for any of the costs involved by foreclosing early. Here in my community, we have been dealing with two properties for two years, one in which the bank never did take title. So far, all we have incurred are legal fees and thousands of dollars in monthly assessments that are due our association.
Trying to trace the parties responsible for the properties is a constant and costly challenge and lawyers just wait for the process to take effect which can be years. These financial schemes, that were hatched by predatory lenders eager to make home loans, have made it nearly impossible to trace ownership. Even if you have the resources to find out ownership, more often than not, the owner will not pay. To compound the problem, the new owners of some of these properties that were bought at auction, have no intention of moving into the property (they want to flip it when the market is right) and will not pay what is owed from the past or the present. They will not maintain the property, and the cycle of abandonment continues.
Abandoned houses cause all sorts of health problems by attracting vermin and other pests. Even when the property is boarded, squatters break in and occupy them attracting drug dealers and the homeless.
Squalor and slum are the biggest enemies of Lake Worth. The City has hired William Waters to conquer the problem. He is taking a whole new approach to the properties that have caused blight, attracted undesirables to the area and property values to free-fall. Read about it here.
Although this home is located in suburban Lake Worth, it depicts another possibility--fire. It is just another pervasive problem of abandonment from the current collapse of the nation’s housing industry and one that has devastated Lake Worth.
2 comments:
HUD gave the City of Lake Worth's ,not Broward ,not Fortlauderdale or Jacksonville, a$23,400.000.- for blight and antiquated infrastructure rehabilitation.To buy those socalled delapidated(old Lake Worth authentic homes) houses,blighted foreclosures, not luxury ones with high maintenance, restore the old real Florida homes and make them affordable housing ,thus alleviating blight, ( City and Code enf.neglect, caused blight)
Make the CRA do the alleviation of blight in our blighted areas. A sneak is buying $560,000 now foreclosed luxury,granite counters, steel appliances, many already stolen after a brief illegal rental to low income homes, not blighted foreclosures.
The Commission has closed eyes for the CRA which does what it wants with our Grant money, except alleviating blight.Who checks their books?It is the Commission's responsibility. In such case, who needs either one?Get the CRA out of the most lucrative district of our City.We need the extra revenue for our general fund and prevent tax raising!!!!Does anybody listen?If not ,enjoy more voodoo economics based tax raises!
My nice gang member neighbors have been squatting in the ford closed home across the street 1614 north j street i really cant believe no one can help. I contacted the new owners a corp in california they filed an eject ment suit in june but the people are still there drug activity and load music all day all night they also try to intimidate us by facing our property they sit at the end of their driveway . Its basically a nightmare. The city is useless and the sheriff does do what it can but we are terrified.
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