The number of foreclosures has skyrocketed around Maryland, jumping a whopping 40 percent between April and May. While there isn't always a foreclosure sign in front of the home, there's a very good chance the grass hasn't been mowed.
The foreclosure crisis is affecting more than just people; it's affecting lawns.
Frederick city officials tell NBC25 they simply can’t keep up. They’re getting an explosion of calls from residents complaining about out-of-control lawns in their neighborhoods.
"The foreclosing market has tripled our complaint basis," said Michael Blank, who works in code enforcement for the city.
Grass and weeds above 10 inches tall are violating the City of Frederick's rules. That's when officials step in to do something about it.
"Anything over 10 inches get a notice for them to remove and cut the grass within five days," Blank said.
But since the foreclosed homes are vacant, no one's there to clean up. That's when the city hires people to mow and manicure the lawn for a pretty penny.
Blank says the average bill runs around $200 per cut.
It could be even higher, depending on how much there is to clean up.
The city doesn't just absorb the costs. They forward the bills to the last known owner, or to the mortgage company.
It's not just a city issue; Frederick County officials are getting a lot of complaints, too.
There's not much the county can do about it though because they don't have a lawn ordinance.
"There's really no advice that we can give to them that will in fact, provide a remedy for them," said Larry Smith, a Frederick County zoning administrator.
Frederick city officials are considering assigning someone full-time to do grass, weed and trash inspections on foreclosed homes. (www.your4state.com)
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
MD Comptroller: foreclosures will hit local budgets hard
The effect of the foreclosure crisis will hit hardest at local budgets, according to the state's chief tax official.
And recent emergency legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly, will have little effect on Maryland's tide of foreclosures. Now, the state's hands are tied, said Comptroller Peter Franchot.
Franchot said he applauds efforts by Gov. Martin O'Malley and the legislature, but that it is too little too late.
"It's not their fault," Franchot said during a recent visit to The Frederick News-Post. "The responsibility for the foreclosure crisis rests with Washington. The last several years of Washington have been like the Wild West. Anything goes. And that lack of regulation has a price that we're going to pay for years to come."
The bill O'Malley signed will lengthen the foreclosure process from 15 to 150 days, and require a lender to wait 90 days before filing a foreclosure action. It also strengthens prohibitions on mortgage fraud
According to the governor's office, in the fourth quarter of 2007, Prince George's, Montgomery, Washington and Worcester counties saw foreclosures double from previous quarter.
In other counties, such as Kent, Garrett and Somerset, numbers almost tripled.
Maryland saw 9,722 foreclosures, compared to 7,001 in the previous quarter, an increase of 2,721 foreclosure events statewide.
Local revenue will be particularly hit in 2009 and 2010, Franchot said.
"We're in a real mess," he said.
Copyright 2008 The Frederick News-Post. All rights reserved.
The effect of the foreclosure crisis will hit hardest at local budgets, according to the state's chief tax official.
And recent emergency legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly, will have little effect on Maryland's tide of foreclosures. Now, the state's hands are tied, said Comptroller Peter Franchot.
Franchot said he applauds efforts by Gov. Martin O'Malley and the legislature, but that it is too little too late.
"It's not their fault," Franchot said during a recent visit to The Frederick News-Post. "The responsibility for the foreclosure crisis rests with Washington. The last several years of Washington have been like the Wild West. Anything goes. And that lack of regulation has a price that we're going to pay for years to come."
The bill O'Malley signed will lengthen the foreclosure process from 15 to 150 days, and require a lender to wait 90 days before filing a foreclosure action. It also strengthens prohibitions on mortgage fraud
According to the governor's office, in the fourth quarter of 2007, Prince George's, Montgomery, Washington and Worcester counties saw foreclosures double from previous quarter.
In other counties, such as Kent, Garrett and Somerset, numbers almost tripled.
Maryland saw 9,722 foreclosures, compared to 7,001 in the previous quarter, an increase of 2,721 foreclosure events statewide.
Local revenue will be particularly hit in 2009 and 2010, Franchot said.
"We're in a real mess," he said. (The Frederick News-Post. All rights reserved)
And recent emergency legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly, will have little effect on Maryland's tide of foreclosures. Now, the state's hands are tied, said Comptroller Peter Franchot.
Franchot said he applauds efforts by Gov. Martin O'Malley and the legislature, but that it is too little too late.
"It's not their fault," Franchot said during a recent visit to The Frederick News-Post. "The responsibility for the foreclosure crisis rests with Washington. The last several years of Washington have been like the Wild West. Anything goes. And that lack of regulation has a price that we're going to pay for years to come."
The bill O'Malley signed will lengthen the foreclosure process from 15 to 150 days, and require a lender to wait 90 days before filing a foreclosure action. It also strengthens prohibitions on mortgage fraud
According to the governor's office, in the fourth quarter of 2007, Prince George's, Montgomery, Washington and Worcester counties saw foreclosures double from previous quarter.
In other counties, such as Kent, Garrett and Somerset, numbers almost tripled.
Maryland saw 9,722 foreclosures, compared to 7,001 in the previous quarter, an increase of 2,721 foreclosure events statewide.
Local revenue will be particularly hit in 2009 and 2010, Franchot said.
"We're in a real mess," he said.
Copyright 2008 The Frederick News-Post. All rights reserved.
The effect of the foreclosure crisis will hit hardest at local budgets, according to the state's chief tax official.
And recent emergency legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly, will have little effect on Maryland's tide of foreclosures. Now, the state's hands are tied, said Comptroller Peter Franchot.
Franchot said he applauds efforts by Gov. Martin O'Malley and the legislature, but that it is too little too late.
"It's not their fault," Franchot said during a recent visit to The Frederick News-Post. "The responsibility for the foreclosure crisis rests with Washington. The last several years of Washington have been like the Wild West. Anything goes. And that lack of regulation has a price that we're going to pay for years to come."
The bill O'Malley signed will lengthen the foreclosure process from 15 to 150 days, and require a lender to wait 90 days before filing a foreclosure action. It also strengthens prohibitions on mortgage fraud
According to the governor's office, in the fourth quarter of 2007, Prince George's, Montgomery, Washington and Worcester counties saw foreclosures double from previous quarter.
In other counties, such as Kent, Garrett and Somerset, numbers almost tripled.
Maryland saw 9,722 foreclosures, compared to 7,001 in the previous quarter, an increase of 2,721 foreclosure events statewide.
Local revenue will be particularly hit in 2009 and 2010, Franchot said.
"We're in a real mess," he said. (The Frederick News-Post. All rights reserved)
Monday, April 21, 2008
City Plans Housing Project Next To Contaminated Park
Baltimore officials want to buy seven homes next to a park that's been closed because of arsenic contamination.
The homes would be demolished to make way for the West Covington project in south Baltimore. Plans call for hundreds of homes and more than a million square feet of retail space and offices next to Swann Park, which is being cleaned up and will reopen.
Some of the homeowners next to Swann Park say they want to leave. But others say they're worried the city won't give them a fair price. The park was closed after arsenic contamination dating from the 1970s was discovered last year. (wbaltv.com)
The homes would be demolished to make way for the West Covington project in south Baltimore. Plans call for hundreds of homes and more than a million square feet of retail space and offices next to Swann Park, which is being cleaned up and will reopen.
Some of the homeowners next to Swann Park say they want to leave. But others say they're worried the city won't give them a fair price. The park was closed after arsenic contamination dating from the 1970s was discovered last year. (wbaltv.com)
Monday, April 14, 2008
Bills seek to ease crisis in housing
Gov. Martin O'Malley held his first bill signing of the year yesterday to enact a number of emergency bills designed to address the foreclosure crisis gripping the state.
The Democratic governor approved three bills to lengthen the minimum length of foreclosure proceedings from 15 days to more than four months, to enact tougher criminal sanctions against mortgage fraud and to crack down on foreclosure-rescue scams in which troubled borrowers are duped into losing title to their homes.
O'Malley and legislative leaders said they wanted the bills signed as soon as possible because, as emergency legislation, they become law immediately. State officials cited a worsening housing crisis in which more than 13,000 homeowners in Maryland were in foreclosure at the end of last year, a 150 percent increase from the previous year.
A group of homeowners who have lost their homes to foreclosure or who are faced with the prospect of losing their homes joined the ceremony. "I hope that you can see we are trying, and that we're all in this together," O'Malley told the crowd. (baltimoresun.com)
The Democratic governor approved three bills to lengthen the minimum length of foreclosure proceedings from 15 days to more than four months, to enact tougher criminal sanctions against mortgage fraud and to crack down on foreclosure-rescue scams in which troubled borrowers are duped into losing title to their homes.
O'Malley and legislative leaders said they wanted the bills signed as soon as possible because, as emergency legislation, they become law immediately. State officials cited a worsening housing crisis in which more than 13,000 homeowners in Maryland were in foreclosure at the end of last year, a 150 percent increase from the previous year.
A group of homeowners who have lost their homes to foreclosure or who are faced with the prospect of losing their homes joined the ceremony. "I hope that you can see we are trying, and that we're all in this together," O'Malley told the crowd. (baltimoresun.com)
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