Foreclosures Leading To Escalating Crime Rise

November 21st, 2007

The region hardest hit by foreclosure is Cleveland. Today it has become the crime capital of the country – thanks to foreclosures. The working class resided in Slavic Village. In 1840 people migrated from Poland and Bohemia to set up their home with hard work and diligence. Steel mills and factories flourished. But when one by one houses fell down from the foreclosure blow the people moved out bag and baggage. In three months this zip code recorded the highest number of foreclosures in USA.

Cuyahoga County Treasurer Jim Rokakis says that 800 houses – maybe more than that – are now abandoned and inviting troubled. It is little wonder because Mother Nature hates vacuum. She has her own laws. Overgrown backyards become weedy swamps where snakes and frogs make a living out of the thick foliage. Mosquitoes set up colonies in stagnant pools. Man is not left far behind – the vagrants, criminals, drug addicts and perverts take over the empty houses. Peaceful law abiding neighbours find themselves outnumbered. They too try to flee the cursed region. But it is difficult to find buyers in this dark area of unrest. Mark Wiseman, Director of local foreclosure prevention operations says that it just takes three days to strip clean a vacant house of all electrical and plumbing fittings. It is an eerie scene with trash overflowing in the front porch. The ex-owners have left behind the trash as well as the house. And why not?
The story of 78-year-old Joe Krasucki is the one of many similar ones. Late one evening hearing a noise he went out to investigate and came face to face with local gangs who were trying to get at his fixtures after having looted his neighbour’s deserted house. He foolishly tried to put up a resistance and suffered injuries from which he never recovered. Stripped house become worthless pieces. Rather these would guzzle up dollars to be demolished and cleared. Windows, doors, vinyl flooring – everything is taken. In the cold climate drug peddlers move in as the climate hastens the process of rot and decay. A twelve year old girl, Cookie was killed caught in a cross fire when she went to shop for her favourite candy. People are trying to fight back. But with more and more leaving where is the manpower? All that remains is a deadly vacuum.