Jan 28, 2008 7:11 pm US/Pacific
Squatters Take Advantage Of Foreclosed Homes
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ―
The home crisis is on the rise. New foreclosure numbers indicate there are nearly 2100 in Stanislaus County, almost 3000 in San Joaquin County and about 5500 in Sacramento County.
Many of those homes are attracting squatters and crime. Officials have boarded up the homes. The guys on the front line of the foreclosure crisis are the busiest they have ever been. People hit every foreclosed home in the county and what's left for the code enforcement officials to encounter is awful.
"There's food leftover. There will be an infestation of cockroaches."
They have been to 51 homes in seven weeks and about 20 of them were occupied. They find evidence that someone was living there, like blankets and pillows are left behind.
Jose Mendez, with Sacramento County Code Enforcement, says that he has even found dogs inside homes. Some people don't even know that they lost theirs homes; people who have been paying rent. The houses are supposed to be boarded up, but not everyone follows the rules.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Comments