An increasing number of Chicago area homes were lost to foreclosure in the first three months of 2010, according to new foreclosure data released by Woodstock Institute.  In the first quarter of 2010, there were 9,302 completed foreclosure auctions in the region, the largest number of completed auctions recorded in a quarter since the beginning of the mortgage crisis in 2006.  In the Chicago six-county area the number of completed foreclosure auctions in the first quarter of 2010 increased by 56 percent when compared to the first quarter of 2009. The region also saw a nearly 80 percent increase in completed foreclosure auctions from the fourth quarter of 2009 to the first quarter of 2010.

The foreclosure crisis shows no signs of stopping—in the Chicago region, new filings rose by over 20 percent in 2009. Every foreclosure leaves behind a property that stays vacant for a period of time. Such vacant properties can drain municipal resources, lower property values, and raise crime rates. Since real estate demand remains weak despite record low interest rates and government incentives, it is likely that these vacant homes will remain a burden on neighborhoods—and on lenders’ books—for a significant period of time. Woodstock research has found that lender-owned properties in Chicago take, on average, close to 16 months to be purchased by new owners and are disproportionately concentrated in communities of color.