March 5, 2009
Home foreclosures in El Paso started going up in 2008, a trend that continues into 2009.
This week, ACORN, a national group that works on numerous issues -- famous largely for its controversial role in registering voters -- took a group of El Paso homeowners who may be facing foreclosure to the County Courthouse to lobby for proposed legislation and to view the foreclosure auction process.
A group from El Paso also traveled to Austin yesterday to support the legislation, which as explained by the Houston Chronicle includes giving "homeowners receiving a foreclosure notice 45 days — up from 20 days now — to resolve their mortgage default before losing their home. The idea was proposed last fall by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, who said stabilizing the Texas housing market is important to the state’s economic growth." [link]
The auctions take place on first Tuesday of every month; this week, 378 properties were up for auction. A quick review of records provided by the County Clerk's office shows the highest number of homes sold in foreclosure auction in 2006 and 2007 was 278 in February, 2006.
The next highest number was 244 in September of that year. In 2008, the number of homes sold surpassed 300 six times -- with the highest number being 403 in October -- and the lowest number sold was 233 in January. This year, all three months have exceeded 300.
ACORN is working with its sister organization, ACORN Housing, to negotiate with about 40 different lending companies to modify loans or handle agreements a certain way that would help people in the process of losing their home to foreclosure, explained Jose Escobedo, an ACORN organizer.
ACORN chose Tuesday to show the families how their homes would be auctioned after a foreclosure. This was also a day for the families to show the bidders that it is not just about properties and bargains; these are people’s homes and behind the houses up for bid there was a displaced family.