For Immediate Release

Surprise Council approves abandoned/foreclosed property action plan

SURPRISE, AZ (Jan. 23, 2009) The Surprise City Council approved an Abandoned and Foreclosed Property Action Plan Thursday night, to address the current inventory of foreclosed and abandoned homes in the city.

With more than 1,000 foreclosed homes in Surprise, the city instituted several strategies that not only address current needs, but will also help to reduce the number of future foreclosures.

The action plan includes preventative measures such as awareness and counseling. The city has secured a verification of services available to Surprise residents with several non-profit organizations that offer foreclosure counseling services. Those organizations include Community Services of Arizona; Neighborhood Housing Services; and Community Housing Resources of Arizona. Surprise residents are provided these services free of charge, as long as they go to the organizations’ established offices.  Additional help can be found under the Living in Surprise section of www.surpriseaz.com, under the Foreclosure Help link.

An amendment to the Surprise City Code allows Code Enforcement officers to issue civil citations in a timely manner to address owners who do not voluntarily correct property maintenance violations.  Violations could result in a maximum daily fine of $2,500, per violation.  And to prevent unauthorized people from breaking into these properties, owners will be asked to sign an arrest form, which will assist police when they contact individuals found on abandoned properties.

Surprise also has access to a Maricopa County database, which provides the address and trustee for every foreclosed property. “The faster we can identify where these properties are, the better our chances of avoiding the negative impacts, such as illegal entry and overgrown weeds and landscaping,” says Community Development Director Jeff Mihelich.   “But, our code enforcement crews and police officers need the community’s help to keep a close eye on these vacant homes and report problems immediately.”

The city is also working to secure $2.1 million in federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding to buy, refurbish and resell at least a dozen foreclosed/abandoned homes in the city. Those interested in participating in this Homebuyer’s Assistance Program can contact the city to be placed on a “wait list,’ and will be subject to certain qualifications. Call 623.222.3239 or email homebuyerassist@surpriseaz.com.

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