Topeka foreclosures on the rise
6:49 p.m. Tuesday, August 5, 2008
According to the Shawnee County Sheriff's Department, the number of foreclosure sales has gone way up over the last five years, from 292 in 2002 to 485 last year.
"Unless you read the paper, you aren't exactly aware of the foreclosures in your area," says Wesley Marshall.
Marshall is the vice president of the Central Highland Park Neighborhood Improvement Association. He is concerned about the increase of foreclosures in his neighborhood.
"Empty houses are an invitation to crime," Marshall says. "Most of what happens is once they find out there is a vacant home and they steal the copper out of it or they go and steal the fixtures out of it."
One map shows the three hardest hit areas in the Capital City. Central Topeka is at the top of the list, with Central Highland Park and Oakland close behind.
Jackie Freed from Housing and Credit Counseling says there are several reasons for the increase in foreclosures. Much of it is economics and not having enough money for necessities.
"We're seeing lot of people who are losing jobs and or are cutting back on the hours they used to get. They used to rely on overtime and no longer have overtime to rely on," says Freed.
Marshall says he knows how close to home the impact can be.
"There's no difference. We're just one day being away from where they are. That's the reality of it. So we're watching them and our hearts go out to them. We feel kind of helpless because there's nothing we can do," he says.
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