Increased foreclosure rates in California's Bay area means more abandoned houses and neglected properties, which invite a host of unwanted visitors, according to county officials.
As the foreclosure crisis continues to infect Bay Area residential neighborhoods, county governments are facing one ripple effect. Rats and mosquitos are moving in as homeowners move out.
The latest figures from RealtyTrac, a housing data company, offer more grim news about the housing crisis for the region. In November, there was a 56 percent increase in foreclosure notices sent out to homeowners compared to last year, and more than 6,000 homes are in one stage of the three-part foreclosure process. That means more abandoned houses and neglected properties, which invite a host of unwanted visitors, according to county officials.
Swimming pools, which once offered warm-weather family fun, now are a public health hazard as breeding grounds for mosquitos, carriers of the West Nile virus.
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Source: New America Media