Clayton Foreclosure Program Buys Homes

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - Clayton County has an innovative solution to the massive number of foreclosures. The Clayton County Foreclosure Resource Center is buying them. 

Realtor Altimese Dees is in a newly renovated home. It was recently bought by the county's housing authority under a pilot project called the Neighborhood Recovery Program.

"We painted the cabinets, added new hardware, new appliances," said Altimese Dees.

The county finds foreclosed homes, fixes them up, and puts them on the market at bargain prices -- bringing life back to the neighborhood.

" [It] help[s] the neighborhood stop the hemorraging of seeing home and property values going down the drain," said David Barton of the Clayton County Housing Authority.

The county has plans to buy five homes under the new pilot program.

A foreclosed home in Riverdale was vacant for two years. Under the Neighborhood Recovery Program, the county picked it up for $41,000 and after the renovations are complete, realtors estimate it will sell in the 120's.

Program director David Barton said the county doesn't make any money off the homes but the payback is seen in the neighborhood.

Kevin McGee lives next door. He said the house has been an eyesore for the past year.

"It was a mess. There had been vagrants in here, the house had been broken into, there was termite damage. Definitely took a turn for the better," said resident Kevin McGee.

Program director David Barton said he's not worried about the houses not selling, because they are priced low enough relative to the market.