St. Charles County, Missouri (KPLR11.com)—
A skyrocketing number of foreclosures in St. Charles County are coming as no surprise to those who help the homeless. Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County is accepting applications for a home the agency recently purchased. "We're going to do like an extreme makeover," said Ashlee Johnson, executive director. "It's going to be fun and its going to be a blessing to a family that needs a hand up right now."Anyone interested should contact Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County at 636-978-5712 or www.habitatstcharles.org.
Johnson expects to place 9 families in new homes next year.
"Back in 2006 we had roughly 500 people that were homeless in St. Charles County and that's doubled it's now close to 1,000," said Johnson.
Daniel and Felicity Morrison would not be able to live in a home without help from Habitat for Humanity. They simply can't find jobs.
"Middle class is really hard to come by, even in St. Charles County," said Felicity Morrison.
"It's tough now days, we've got people losing houses, jobs," said Daniel Morrison.
The Morrisons are making payments on a home they helped build and say it's been a way to give them a head start.
Johnson expects record interest in one of the agencies homes that will soon be available for a family. "We see cases of divorce, we see job loss, we see medical crisis, we see all those things that can be a factor," said Johnson.
Area realtors have piles of foreclosure listings. According to RealtyTrac, an agency that adds up the numbers, there were 279 foreclosures in St. Charles County last month. That's up nearly 50% from the year before.
"In years past you maybe could have gone through a job loss for a few months and have some savings and made it through," said Merle Schneider, Schneider Realty.
His agency has served St. Charles clients for 35 years. He advises anyone on the brink of foreclosure to try and sell before it's too late.
The home Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County purchased was a foreclosure.
Clients put in sweat equity and make payments on a new home that will give them a new start.
