VACANT HOME, BANK OWNED,FORECLOSURE, DETERORATIO, HOMELESS

VACANT HOME. BANK OWNED. FORECLOSURE. DETERIORATION. HOMELESS.
September 2010
We have all noticed as we drive through neighborhoods that so many homes are foreclosed on, are bank owned, and are thus sitting vacant. When I drive by one of these homes, I can visualize a family that had been living there and thriving, but due to circumstances and Bank Greed, was thrown out. I wonder where they are, what they are doing, and how they are making out. Most of them, if they do not have a caring family, family members living close by, friends able to help, or the means to overcome this extreme hardship, end up homeless.

A Program on the CBS Evening News on 8/11/2010 had a special segment on a writer who wrote a book on all the people in Las Vegas who are living literally “underground” under Las Vegas Blvd., more commonly known as “The Strip” where the majority of the casinos are built. Some have been there for almost a year, living in these cave-like tunnels. These were people who had jobs (many of them in these same casinos), and when they lost their employment, they had no alternative but to live under Las Vegas Blvd directly above them, with so many below struggling to make it from one day to the next.

Banks are no longer an organization that I have high regard for. I firmly believe that banks and insurance companies are nothing more than legalized Mafias that now have the license to steal and flex their powerful muscles legally. They are no longer a friend or helper to the people or to businesses.

Unfortunately, this scene in Las Vegas is repeated all across our great nation. With unemployment not improving due to low demand due to fewer people with jobs to have an income to spend, we are facing a long haul to get close to normal again.

With all of these houses that the banks have foreclosed on being “offered for sale.” we all know these so-called sale offers are just phony gestures. The banks don’t really want to sell these houses at a discounted/lowered price at the current market rate. This would result in a loss which would show up on their annual statements, and would not create bonuses for the greedy executives. And so they continue to go through the process of offering these homes and declining the buyers, and our government believes that all the money they gave to the banks is helping! How naïve the government is.

One thing that the banks obviously do not realize is the fact that when houses sit empty, they deteriorate, are damaged by others, and eventually fall apart. It takes a lot of money to repair these houses, and paying for the upkeep isn’t cheap either. So why not let the people who are in them be evaluated, and based on their current state of income, make allowances on payments so they can make it through these difficult times. Base the payments on the current value of the property and discount it to the level of their affordability to keep it occupied.

Now I know the rest of us who are making our payments and feeling the heat also will say, “How about me?” Well, let’s realize one thing…..the whole world is not about ME! It is the “me generation” who got us into this mess to begin with. Let’s realize that it takes one person at a time to be considerate to give a break to others. We are the fortunate ones who can still make our regular payments based on the inflated prices we paid for our properties….AND thank God we still have jobs and can still afford to pay the mortgage or rent.

Another suggestion is that banks would accept applications from the homeless people to be reviewed by them and a panel of independent advisors able to qualify the homeless families’ background. Based on a set of standards to be established, these families would be allowed to live in these foreclosed properties on the market for what they can afford or free until they find employment. At that point, they can either buy the property or move out. One condition for qualification would be their responsibility and respect for the property, to keep it in good condition, or improve it if they have skills for items to be fixed to give a better value to the property. In another word, since they are getting something very valuable (a roof over their heads), they in turn give value back. If this particular property is sold, this family would be relocated to another empty house in the area.

The result of this would be no gangs, no thugs, no drug dealers and druggies breaking into these homes and damaging these properties…just decent people or families that have fallen on hard times. We take care of so many people in foreign countries without a second thought, and now it is time to take care of our own. We do not ask where the money is going for all the dollars that are leaving our shores to help rogue governments and countries. I’m quite sure they don’t even need to fill out an application! It is now time for us to be just as tolerant with our own, that we can screen and help. I am sure we have all seen and experienced hard times, so I’m sure we can find the compassion in our hearts to help our fellow countrymen.