COOK COUNTY IL SHERIFF TOM DART Stands Up To Orders of Eviction, Refusing to Enforce Those for Foreclosure!

Here in Cook County IL, the County that contains the City of Chicago, Sheriff Tom Dart is making a stand against foreclosure evictions despite the risk of legal action against him.

In an act of what Dart considers "justice," the Sheriff said today his office will stop serving eviction notices to homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments, as well as rental tenants not aware the building has been foreclosed upon.

Each month, since the beginning of 2008, roughly 2,000 people get served with an eviction notice here in Cook County IL - the county that includes the City of Chicago.  Of those, an estimated 500 are evicted as a result of a bank foreclosure.  Roughly one-third of foreclosure evictions involve rental tenants, many of whom were not notified about their landlord's default, and the impending eviction process.

Sheriff Dart added that hundreds of Cook County residents face eviction each month despite being current in their rent.  Many foreclosed landlords collect rent payments from their tenants, but fail to pay their mortgage. 

According to Dart, "The people we're interacting with are, many times, oblivious to the financial straits their landlord might be in. They are the innocent victims here, and they are the ones all of us must step up for and find some way to protect."

Dart requested that banks send representatives to rental properties notifying tenants of foreclosure proceedings a minimum of 120 days in advance of a notice of eviction.  Illinois Law now requires the lenders to notify only the current property owner, not their tenants.

The Sheriff quoted statistics indicating foreclosures have skyrocketed since 2006.  This year, he estimates more than 43,000 foreclosures will be filed in Chicago and Cook County, up 127% from two years ago. 

Sheriff Dart will continue to enforce non-foreclosure-related evictions - those for non-payment of rent, or violation of lease rules.

The old scenario of throwing a tenant's belongings out on the sidewalk is no longer practiced in Cook County.  The Sheriff now simply legally "serves" the evicted parties.

Should the Sheriff's officers and staff fail to carry out court-ordered evictions, he could be held for contempt of court, for failing to violate a court-ordered eviction.

See our post this afternoon via BlogChicagoHomes.com for more info, including a link to Azam Ahmed's story in today's Chicago Tribune.

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO