Dream Smashers
Since the summer, David Olinger, Greg Griffin, Jeffrey A. Roberts and Aldo Svaldi of the Denver Post have been using computer-assisted reporting to tell a very human story. Their "Foreclosing on the American Dream" investigates why Colorado leads the nation in housing foreclosures. The Post reporters mined extensive data to come up with powerful examples such as the neighborhood where 23 out of 94 homes have been lost to foreclosure in the past five years. By using simple, clear sentences to cut through complex topics, they explain how extreme mortgage rates, weak regulations and appraisal fraud have taken a heavy toll on working families. In response to this series, Colorado legislators are promising to take action. My thanks to SPJ President Christine Tatum for recommending this series. http://www.denverpost.com/foreclosures