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(Adults,) Kids Party in Foreclosed Homes, Leave Wake of Vandalism (just spreading the wealth...)
ABC News ^ | 3/04/09 | RUSSELL GOLDMAN

Posted on 03/04/2009 7:19:37 PM PST by Libloather

Kids Party in Foreclosed Homes, Leave Wake of Vandalism
Party-Throwing Minors, Criminals Make Themselves at Home in Vacant Houses
By RUSSELL GOLDMAN
March 4, 2009

By the time the cops arrived, the house was in total shambles.

Windows were smashed, beer cans were strewn across the lawn, light fixtures were pulled out of the ceiling, the drywall was kicked out exposing the studs in the walls, and on nearly every available surface, spray paint indicated what that section of the house was to be used for, from the "liquor wall" to the "sex room."

The Ft. Myers, Fla., party ended late last month with 17 people lined up in the driveway staring into the blinding lights of a police cruiser's headlamps. Seven of them, aged 18 to 20, were on their way to the station to be fingerprinted and charged with loitering, prowling and contributing to the delinquency of a minor; the other 10, all under 18, faced an even worse fate -- explaining everything to their parents.

The recession gives people few reasons to celebrate, and families forced to foreclose on their homes and move out have little occasion to party. But for some young people across the country, the explosion of homes abandoned by their owners, like the one in Ft. Myers, is cause for celebration.

While a few kids hanging out may seem harmless enough, these foreclosure parties in vacant homes are often accompanied by drug and alcohol use, truancy, burglary, vandalism, and sometimes violence.

Police say breaking up a party, however, is not enough to stop the problem, which can encourage more troublesome criminal activities and diminish property values for an entire neighborhood.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: foreclosed; foreclosures; homes; housing; party; realestate; squatters; vandalism
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Seven adults and 10 minors were arrested for loitering and prowling in a Ft. Myers, Fla., home that had been abandoned following a foreclosure. Police estimated the youths caused $75,000 in damage. Police across the country have noted an uptick in illegal parties at foreclosed homes. (John David Emmett/news-press.com)

Seven adults and 10 minors were arrested...

KIDS? The house looks like Katrina hit it. A four-pager at the link above.

1 posted on 03/04/2009 7:19:37 PM PST by Libloather
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To: Libloather

If it isn’t kids partying, it’s homeless squatters. Soon it’ll be drug labs, shooting galleries, brothels, etc. It’s a no-brainer. Vacant houses are going to attract a lot of undesirable activity.


2 posted on 03/04/2009 7:25:35 PM PST by Drew68
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To: Drew68

Plus summer’s fast approaching. Unless they booby-trap the houses, it’s going to be one busy summer for the cops.


3 posted on 03/04/2009 7:29:39 PM PST by max americana
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To: Libloather
Seven of them, aged 18 to 20, were on their way to the station to be fingerprinted and charged with loitering, prowling and contributing to the delinquency of a minor; the other 10, all under 18, faced an even worse fate -- explaining everything to their parents.

If I were the judge, the whole lot of them and a court official would be off to Home Depot. The adult partiers and the parents of the juvenile partiers would pay for all of the supplies needed to fix the house, and the kids would, under supervision, work eight hour days to fix every single bit of damage they caused until done.

Oh, and they would also pay the cost of the supervision. If they couldn't pay, their wages would be attached until their share was paid.

Oh, and the kids would be caned. Well, maybe not that one.
4 posted on 03/04/2009 7:29:41 PM PST by LostInBayport (When more than 98% of the Republicans on Capitol Hill vote against a bill, it is not bipartisan.)
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To: Libloather

The banks must be thrilled they foreclosed on the owner!


5 posted on 03/04/2009 7:31:45 PM PST by DTogo (Time to bring back the Sons of Liberty.)
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To: DTogo
The banks must be thrilled they foreclosed on the owner!

What do they care? They got their money. Wait till someone gets hurt. Probably sue the former owner for vacating.

6 posted on 03/04/2009 7:35:17 PM PST by Drew68
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To: LostInBayport

Criminal trespass, breaking and entering, felony destruction of property, for starters.


7 posted on 03/04/2009 7:35:47 PM PST by SpaceBar
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To: Drew68
They got their money? No, the banks forclosed and got an empty house less whatever equity the homeowner put down. Now they have a trashed empty house that will never sell.

Lose-lose for everyone.

8 posted on 03/04/2009 7:38:16 PM PST by DTogo (Time to bring back the Sons of Liberty.)
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To: max americana
Plus summer’s fast approaching. Unless they booby-trap the houses, it’s going to be one busy summer for the cops.

The more I run this scenario through my head, the angrier I get. These empty houses are a public nuisance and without electricity and running water, they're going to be a fire and health hazard as well.

9 posted on 03/04/2009 7:48:00 PM PST by Drew68
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To: DTogo
The banks must be thrilled they foreclosed on the owner!

The bank IS the owner until the mortgage is paid. What should the banks do when borrowers don't pay?

When you work, do you expect your employer to pay your salary?

10 posted on 03/04/2009 7:54:22 PM PST by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: Drew68
If it isn’t kids partying, it’s homeless squatters. Soon it’ll be drug labs, shooting galleries, brothels, etc. It’s a no-brainer. Vacant houses are going to attract a lot of undesirable activity.

This will eventually contribute to fixing the housing demand side of the problem. We have an oversupply of housing right now, and eventually many of the abandoned ones will have to be torn down, decreasing the supply and increasing the demand for the available houses.

11 posted on 03/04/2009 7:56:55 PM PST by Vince Ferrer
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To: DTogo

Right... They should just let the mortages go, let the delinquent borrowers have the property and we can all dwell happily amongst the rainbows and unicorns.

Let’s just ignore the fact that when you reward behavior you get more of it.


12 posted on 03/04/2009 7:57:11 PM PST by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: max americana
Plus summer’s fast approaching. Unless they booby-trap the houses, it’s going to be one busy summer for the cops.

I forget the exact details but some guy kept getting robbed and as a result rigged up a shotgun to a door. He was charged with murder when this did kill a burglar.

How about some harmless contraptions that just make noises and flash lights? All sorts of possibilities come to mind.

13 posted on 03/04/2009 8:03:13 PM PST by Aglooka (Posting from New Hampshachusetts (Formerly New Hampshire))
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To: Grizzled Bear
Let’s just ignore the fact that when you reward behavior you get more of it.

That's the problem with this foreclosure mess. There's no good solution.

Do you let the formers owners live in these homes without paying their mortgage? As you said, this rewards irresponsible behavior. So what to do? Leave the houses vacant? We're seeing what happens with this course of action. Tear 'em down? That's a possibility. Turn them into Section 8, low-income housing? Some municipalities are doing just this, much to the dismay of the neighbors.

This is just a big, ugly mess.

14 posted on 03/04/2009 8:12:24 PM PST by Drew68
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To: Aglooka
How about some harmless contraptions that just make noises and flash lights? All sorts of possibilities come to mind.

Put up by who? The banks? I'm sure the trespassers will make quick work of it with a hammer.

15 posted on 03/04/2009 8:13:37 PM PST by Drew68
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To: LostInBayport

ACORN has $4 billion. They could pony up to fix the damage.


16 posted on 03/04/2009 8:13:46 PM PST by Arthur McGowan
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To: Aglooka

> How about some harmless contraptions that just make noises and flash lights? All sorts of possibilities come to mind.

The motion detectors are only effective IF people knew that there are inhabitants in the house.

As long as there’s a foreclosed SIGN OUTSIDE, it is just a billboard that says “party on, dudes”. Kids will probably use those flash lights as strobe lights for their party.


17 posted on 03/04/2009 8:16:39 PM PST by max americana
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To: Arthur McGowan
ACORN has $4 billion. They could pony up to fix the damage.

ACORN is actively encouraging squatters. The banks that own these homes should sue them. What goes around ...

18 posted on 03/04/2009 8:21:21 PM PST by Inkie (Attn Dems: Loose Lips Sink Ships -- but hey, I guess that's your goal))
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To: max americana
Or they could try this....

Skunk Shot Gel
19 posted on 03/04/2009 8:25:21 PM PST by Kozak (USA 7/4/1776 to 1/20/2009 Requiescat In Pace)
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To: Drew68

you let the free market sort out this mess.


20 posted on 03/04/2009 8:27:52 PM PST by Chet 99
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