Bob Hennelly
WNYC's Bob Hennelly is an award-winning investigative journalist. While at WNYC he has reported on a wide gamut of major public policy questions ranging from immigration and homeland security to power outages and utility mergers.
NJ Officials Scramble With Spike in Foreclosures
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
New York, NY –
In New Jersey, the spike in foreclosures has officials scrambling to deal with what often comes next - abandonment and worse. WNYC's Bob Hennelly reports.
REPORTER: Paterson Mayor Jose Torres says having well over 2,000 properties in foreclosure undermines his city in several ways.
TORRES: Increase of homelessness, increase in the reserve for uncollected taxes, increase of theft of precious metals, increase in abandoned property.
REPORTER: Torres says it can be a nightmare for tenants when their landlord is in foreclosure. Paterson renter Tracy Dawson, mother of two knows. Her rental is in foreclosure and Dawson says the owner has left the country. Now security is an issue and she can't leave her home unattended.
DAWSON: I quit school because they broke into my door right there, this is the second time they did it.
REPORTER: And then there is the utility shutoff notice. Dawson says it came in the mail and was simply addressed: Occupant. For WNYC I'm Bob Hennelly.
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