Chicago Sheriff Takes Stand Against Mortgage Foreclosure

A sheriff in Cook County, Illinois, has said he will no longer evict tenants who have been ordered out of foreclosed properties.

Thomas Dart said he has taken the controversial action because many of the evictions are unjust and tenants are often not given a notification period to leave the property.

"These mortgage companies only see pieces of paper not people and don't care who's in the building. They simply want their money and don't care who gets hurt along the way," Sheriff Dart told CNN..

He added that he wants state law to change in order to protect people vulnerable from losing their properties in light of the current economic climate.

The Illinois Bankers Association has said that Sheriff Dart may be held in contempt of court for his refusal to fulfill his legal duties.

Cook County is likely to see over 43,000 mortgage foreclosures filed this year, up from 32,629 in 2007.

Foreclosure is when a bank or creditor sells or repossesses a property after the owner has failed to comply with a mortgage or deed of trust agreement between the lender and borrower.