Foreclosures continue to increase

by Larry Patrick
WALSENBURG — The number of foreclosures are up this year over last year in Huerfano County according to Debbie Reynolds, the Huerfano County Treasurer.
There have been 45 foreclosures this year so far compared to 38 at this time last year. In the past quarter there have been 16 and Reynolds says five of those are from the La Veta and Cuchara area which is unusual. There were also a couple of foreclosures listed in the Navajo Estates area and one at the Black Diamond Park just west of Walsenburg. There have been around 150 foreclosures in the county is the past three years, the majority of them in Walsenburg.
There was an update on several handicapped accessibility problems at the courthouse. Parts have been ordered, but are not in yet for the building’s front entrance stair lift. Plans are being made to put handicap-accessible ramps at the front entrance and bids have been let on that. The interior elevator, has been giving trouble lately. Its door frames have to be replaced because they are old and not allowing electrical currents to properly operate the elevator. Bids are being taken to do the work. As of now, people with trouble climbing stairs and those in wheelchairs have a difficult time accessing offices in the courthouse because the lift and elevator do not work.
All but 53 of the 158 new storm windows to be put into the courthouse were broken during transport.
Accordingly, the project has been shelved until the end of November.