04/01/2009: "Over 30 Foreclosures on Homes Coming Up? Nope."

The County Council held a continued public hearing on suggested changes to the Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan, and were told that there may be as many as 30 homes entering into foreclosures in the County.

During the testimony portion of the hearing, Charles Anderson of the San Juan Community Foundation said he was representing a Critical Needs Community Task Force that would be supplying the Council with additional data on housing needs, but that in the meantime he wanted to “apprise you we are getting reports of a growing wave of home foreclosures that are just happening as we speak,” however he was quick to add that the information was not confirmed that there had been "nine foreclosures last week and over 20 pending… so may be just at the tip of the iceberg of the homeless.”

The Island Guardian was first told the story on Monday, and the story has been growing with the telling, but Anderson was correct to state it was an unconfirmed rumor, since one of the local banks identified as the primary lender in one version of the rumor has confirmed that it was a false story.

At the last meeting the Council requested an extension of time from the Growth Management Board to update the Housing Element, so will now be able to have time to work through some of the questions the draft changes to the ordinance have generated. The Council will hold a work session on the proposed changes on April 7th, and again on the 14th to work though any new information they receive.