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Squatters Settle Into Foreclosed SJ Homes

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Oct 4, 2007 7:57 pm US/Pacific

Squatters Settle Into Foreclosed SJ Homes

by Thuy Vu
SAN JOSE (CBS 5) ― On Thursday we visited a San Jose home that had recently been foreclosed on. After residents moved out, gangs moved in, taking over the vacant property.

Neighbor Diane Ludwig says she was scared, watching all the activity.

"Drinking, parties and other things. I don't want to mention too much," said Ludwig.

Graffiti covers one side of the house, and around the corner, bullet holes.

"What's so dangerous about this situation is the stray bullets can hit anyone, even a child," said Jamie Matthews, San Jose's code enforcement administrator.

San Jose code enforcement officers boarded up the home and put in a new gate last week after neighbors complained to police. But now, gang members have broken in again and sprayed more graffiti tags on top of the boarded up windows.

"The tags indicate people are still getting back here," said Matthews. "That's why it's critical that we know where these buildings are so we can monitor them on a weekly basis."

And at another foreclosed home we found more evidence of squatters-- two blankets. A window to a bedroom was shattered. Both homes are in east San Jose. That's the area with the most homes in various stages of foreclosure in the city. There are also high numbers of foreclosures in south San Jose and downtown.

Real estate agent Mark Detar of Intero thinks the squatter problem is only beginning.

"With an increase in foreclosures, you're going to see things like this," Detar said. "With a house being vacant, certain elements come into play."

In the past 6 months, San Jose has gotten 150 complaints about vacant properties, many of them foreclosures. Inspectors will first give the owners a chance to take care of any problems. But if they don't, the inspectors will take action.

"Board up the building, clean the property and lien the property so we can recover our costs," said Matthews.

To report people squatting in a foreclosed home, call San Jose code enforcement division (408) 277-4528.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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