Foreclosure fallout: squatters ‘n skeeters

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Funny headline, serious topic: foreclosed homes are often ill-maintained, and sometimes attract squatters and disease-bearing mosquitos, according to David Streitfeld’s story in today’s L.A. Times .

A big problem is swimming pools that are not properly drained and cleaned when the house is vacated. In the Antelope Valley, Streitfeld reports, mosquito control workers treated 65 pools last month, and hired a surveying company that identified as many as 1,000 that are ‘green,’ ‘half-empty,’ ‘murky’ or ‘questionable.’

Public officials say they can’t just barge in and clean these places up: ‘’Unless the house is open and vacant, and starting to collect trash and debris, there’s nothing we can do,’ said Frank Bush, chief inspector for the L.A. Building and Safety Department’s Code Enforcement Bureau.... As for the pool, ‘you can’t drain for the sake of draining,’ said department spokesman Bob Steinbach. ‘It’s the owner’s responsibility.’’

Our take: This is disappointing. Isn’t there some legal way municipalities can put pressure on lenders and banks to clean these places up? Why should taxpayers foot the bill for cleanup when these homes are owned by banks?

Comments? Thoughts? E-mail story tips to lalandblog@yahoo.com.