How Long Has A Home Been Abandoned? Just Count The Discarded Take Out Menus Collecting On Front Doors & Stoops

In New York City, The New York Times reports on a working-class neighborhood in South Jamaica, Queens just north of Kennedy Airport where about 28 percent of the homes have been in some phase of foreclosure since 2004, and its census tract leads the city in foreclosure filings. This excerpt describes how area residents become aware of how long homes have been abandoned by their owners:

• The telltale signs that a house is empty come not from a bank or real estate agent, but pizzerias and Chinese takeout restaurants: The length of time a house has been abandoned can be measured by the number of old menus, fliers and junk mail that collects on doors and stoops.

For the story, see Door to Door, Foreclosure Knocks Here (may require free registration).