Community Corner

Anybody Home? Dealing with Oak Forest's Abandoned Homes

What's happening with abandoned or foreclosed homes? Readers wanted to know, Patch found out.

Oak Forest residents might wonder what happens to a home when the owner leaves—and never comes back. In , 75 homes are under city watch as abandoned or foreclosed, leaving the city to track down owners to maintain their properties—even if they don't live there anymore.

The task of handling abandoned or foreclosed homes falls on Building Commissioner Gary Gerdes. Gerdes said that the city has a form that owners of abandoned or foreclosed homes must fill out to notify the city. The city then takes steps to ensure the property is properly taken care of.

“We track foreclosures and abandonments,” Gerdes said. “Once we are notified, the city tries to maintain the properties, mowing the lawn, draining pools, and in some cases boarding up the home. However, we try to look towards the bank or REO (Real Estate Owned by a lender) to maintain the home after we are notified.”

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Gerdes stated that at the moment, of the estimated 75 homes in the city that are on the list of foreclosures and abandoned homes, 62 are registered. The department is trying to reach the owners of the other 13 homes.

“We're trying to make contact with the owners of homes not registered right now,” he said. “It's a little difficult dealing with HUD and other government organizations sometimes, but we're chasing them down.”

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As for what the city planes to do with abandoned or foreclosed homes, Gerdes said that Oak Forest will not demolish any homes on the list.

“We won't just take a house down because it's been abandoned or foreclosed on,” he said.

He added that the only time the city will demolish a home is if it is deemed unsafe for occupancy.

Is there an abandoned home in your neighborhood that you think the city might not know about? Call the building department, at 708-687-4050, ext. 1045.
 


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