Posted on a wall inside the Wake County courthouse are foreclosure notices, documenting dozens of casualties of the economic situation.
In August, nearly 500 Wake County properties were foreclosed. In some cases, the foreclosures are hitting unsuspecting Triangle resident and renters who are doing nothing wrong.
"Unfortunately, it's hard times right now, and people that invested and thought they were gonna be able to make money, with the situation like it is, they're not making it," Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison said. "Some of them are not gonna be able to [make payments], and unfortunately, the renters are gonna be the ones that's gonna have to pay."
Sheriff Harrison's deputies end p being the ones who have to bring eviction notices to the door. He said it's happening about 100 times more a month that is was happening this time last year.
And more and more, it's renters being evicted. Eyewitness News learned of one community in the Brier Creek area where more than 30 units have been foreclosed on in the past year. Many are owned by California investors. Local renters are finding out they've got to get out -- some with just 2 weeks notice.
"Unfortunately the renter is the one that's basically getting put out on the street," Sheriff Harrison said. "We got a court order, and hopefully they will understand that. That's a paper that we have to serve. If not, they come back on me as the sheriff."
It's likely to continue happening more often -- another effect of the rough times in the economy.
Thursday the sheriff in Cook County, Illinois said he would stop evicting renters whose properties were being foreclosed.
The Sheriff said banks will have to provide affidavits or proof the person living in the home has been properly notified of the foreclosure. The point is to make sure renters are not surprised.
Locally, Sheriff Harrison said he's not able to do that, and he'll keep doing his job, which is to serve the notices.
