Congress Consults Sheriff Dart On Foreclosures

Bob Roberts Reporting

CHICAGO (WBBM) -- Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart went to Capitol Hill Wednesday to argue for legislation that would slow down the pace of housing foreclosures.

Dart told the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee that he feels the sorriest for renters who are current in their payments, but face eviction because their landlords are in default.

"It's heartbreaking," Durbin said after Dart testified. "Many of these people never saw this coming."

Dart said, despite a sharp increase in eviction requests, his deputies have put only three families on the streets since he persuaded the court system to give renters caught in foreclosures more time to relocate.

"The numbers are just getting staggering," Dart said of the eviction requests.

Dart said he continues to get notices of contempt proceedings from mortgage lenders who want quicker evictions.

"I feel very confident that we're doing the right thing and that I feel I'm on firm legal ground that under anyone's interpretation of the Constitution that you cannot take property, cannot throw people out of their property if there is not due process," he said.

Despite that, he said making mortgage lenders jump through hoops locally to obtain evictions is not the answer and would prefer action in Washington to stem the crisis now.

"It looks as if it's going to have to be taken up in the next administration because President Bush is not in favor of it," he said. "The only way we're going to get out in front of this is from a bankruptcy angle."

Durbin said, in addition to those renters caught by their landlords' defaults, he wants to help those who were misled into taking on mortgages they could not afford.

But those who speculated in the real estate market, hoping to make a financial killing, won't find an ally in Durbin.

"I have no sympathy for (them)," he said

Print Page

Email This Page

Featured Audio

Gardening Tips For Nov. 21, 2009
Tips on maintaining your garden, plants and flowers year-round.

President Obama's Weekly Address
President Obama discusses the economic issues he tackled during his first trip to Asia since taking office.

Republican Response to Weekly Address
In this weeks Republican address, Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho criticizes the Democratic Health Care reform bill.

The Bears Report: Tom Thayer
WBBM Game Day Analyst Tom Thayer, with our Josh Liss, sizes up Sunday's matchup vs. the Philadelphia Eagles.

Noon Business Hour 11-19-09 FULL SHOW
Join Kris Kridel and Sherman Kaplan as they discuss the economy and financial markets with some of the nation's top experts.