Vacant & Abandoned Property Program
Helping Clean Up Communities and Preserve Homeownership
The Western New York Law Center created the Vacant and Abandoned Property Program in response to the blight and negative impact vacant and abandoned properties have on families and communities. Each facet of the program was created to address this impact and preserve homeownership wherever possible. While properties may remain vacant for some time due to legal timeframes, our ultimate goal is to maintain neighborhood integrity for future generations.
Services
Local Municipality Work
The WNYLC and its municipal partners have collaborated to help families and communities address the negative impact of homes abandoned during the foreclosure process (also known as Zombie Properties). Together, we provide assistance ranging from working with Zombie homeowners to find resolutions for their properties to providing representation against mortgage servicers not maintaining the legal property standards of Zombie homes. In addition, we do outreach to homeowners in danger of foreclosure, contact servicers and maintenance companies to bring properties into compliance, educate staff and local officials regarding Zombie Properties and their impact on the surrounding community, and more.
Erie County Clerks ZOMBIES Initiative
It became evident to WNYLC staff that municipalities surrounding Zombie Grant recipients would also need assistance, either because they were too small or without enough Zombie foreclosures to be eligible for Zombie Grants themselves. Clerk Kearns made funding available to address Zombie properties in non-Zombie grant-eligible municipalities, for which the Law Center was granted funding. Through this initiative, the Law Center can provide much needed assistance to municipalities throughout Erie County to address Zombie Foreclosures. The Law Center also runs the Erie County Clerk ZOMBIES Initiative Task Force that meets quarterly to bring together stakeholders from all sides to collaborate on solutions to Zombie properties.
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716.855.0203
OFFICE HOURS
9:00am - 5:00pm
OR BY APPOINTMENT
Our Address
By Appointment Only
37 Franklin Street
2nd Floor, Suite 210
Buffalo, NY 14202
(Look for us behind Pearl Street Grill)
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