Mission 5: A Long, Slow Recovery

Let me just start off this week's super hero adventure with a rant. What is happening to Modesto's housing market?!?! Even in the neighborhood where my alter-ego's and my secret lair is the sidewalks are littered with foreclosure signs. Houses are abandoned and strewn with litter and graffiti. Seems that there are more empty houses than there are occupied these days. Where to start to fix this you may ask? First of all, no new housing development in Modesto until the housing market is stable. People, PEOPLE why are we building more homes when homeowners are having to abandon the ones that are already established??? I know that many new homes are being built by large companies that invest in the town by purchasing plots of land...but the city has to put their foot down and let these lots stay empty for the time being. Otherwise we are just perpetuating a cycle here. Now what to do about the problem that already exists.....all these empty houses and people losing their homes......


Corrupt Angel Investigates: So this super hero decided the best way to learn about the housing problem in Modesto was to head to the more under-privileged neighborhoods and see the areas that are being hit hardest by the problem first hand. Let me just say, some neighborhoods are looking like ghost towns. Homes are boarded up to keep people from "squatting" in them, lawns are browned with neglect, windows are broken......it's a pretty sad and discouraging image to come home to if you live next door I imagine. Well off to the internet to research what programs exist here in Modesto to help the neighborhoods heal and recover.
     Well I was relieved to find out that Modesto already has a program established to deal with the foreclosure crisis, it's called the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). Good news is it's already federally funded.....so I won't have to use my mind warp to "convince" people to open their wallets again. Basically, the NSP targets neighborhoods hit hardest by foreclosures (ones like my own) and purchases the homes, fixes them up, and then offers new purchasers incentives and counseling (so they know what they're getting themselves into....mortgages can be tricky to understand. All that financial lingo is tough) to buy the once abandoned homes. Sounds pretty good.
     Turns out there also is this great non-profit volunteer organization out there called No Homeowner Left Behind that is operating right here in the Central Valley. They offer loan counseling to new homeowners as well as existing homeowners in fear of foreclosure.....As part of my efforts to help save Modesto's homeowners I will spread the word about this group. here's a video from a local event they did
Now to help......
Act: Well this super hero will not sit idly by while efforts are being made to help the community. I will join forces with No Homeowner Left Behind and the NSP to assure my neighborhood and all of Modesto recovers. No Homeowner Left Behind holds frequent workshops throughout the valley and I will spread the word to all of Modesto. If you need help with your mortgage woes, I'll find you the advice you seek. Meanwhile, when the NSP comes to my area to fix the abandoned homes I'll be there to lend a hand and I'll enlist the help of my fellow neighbors. Since much of the budget is spent on acquisition of these homes, volunteer efforts are needed in doing the maintenance and renovation.We will be cleaning yards, planting grass, painting houses, and fixing the homes to make them suitable to live in again.
Imagine: It's been five long years and recovery has been a long road. There are fewer foreclosure signs on my block and far less people feeling the crunch of excessive mortgages. We're still out there fixing up the homes that do become abandoned and making sure our neighborhood doesn't fall into ruin, No Homeowner Left Behind is still offering advice to those who need it, and my neighborhood doesn't look like a ghost town anymore.