Help for Renters Threatened by Foreclosure Homes for Sale

One of the unsuspecting victims of the current foreclosure crisis are the renters of apartments at risk of becoming foreclosure homes for sale. But now, hundreds of renters in Union City, New Jersey who are living in apartments at risk of foreclosures may find help through a month-long county initiative.

The initiative aims to give renters a place to run to for information about their housing situations. The Union County Board of Freeholders has designated the whole month of October as “Union County Tenants Month.” Officials of Union County are planning to join representatives from the state and municipality in alerting tenants of foreclosed apartments about their rights.

Industry experts are hopeful that the county initiative would help ease the plight of renters. In the city of Plainfield, one real estate firm handles as many as 500 foreclosed or bankrupt apartments. Many foreclosure homes for sale include some of the largest apartments in the city, including Green Brook Village, Watchung Gardens and Town and Country.

In December of last year, the freeholders established the Union County Foreclosure Task Force as part of its effort to alleviate the effects of the mortgage crisis and to generate support or the recovery and stability of neighborhoods in the county.

Meetings are held twice a month, attended by officials of the state, municipal and county and representatives of various foreclosure counseling agencies, housing advocates and legal services. The meetings are geared towards finding ways to stabilize and strengthen neighborhoods and help residents stay in their houses.

Initially, the task force focused on helping distressed homeowners at risk of foreclosures. But officials learned that the effects of foreclosures have spread to renters. Industry experts said that renters have been placed in the center of the foreclosure problem, with some of them having been evicted illegally.

Experts are hoping that the designation would provide information to renters on where they could go to seek help about their housing situation. The initiative involves offering renters information by telephone and the web site. Furthermore, officials are urging renters to attend the “Tenancy 101” workshops which will be held on October 29.

The workshops are organized jointly by the Central Jersey Legal Services and the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless. Experts are encouraging renters to know about their rights to protect themselves from the effects of foreclosure homes for sale.