CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — The New York State Supreme Court has signed the judgment of foreclosure on a zombie home in Cheektowaga after a frustrated viewer reached out to 2 On Your Side.
The viewer says she has complained to the Town of Cheektowaga for years about 119 Crescent Court. She and other neighbors agree it's an eyesore, a safety hazard, and in need of major repairs. When Erie County Clerk Mickey Kearns saw our story, he pledged to help fix it. First step: making the owner of the estate property, Delaware-based Wilmington Savings Fund, take responsibility.
"This is really good, positive news," Erie County Clerk Mickey Kearns told 2 On Your Side over the phone Tuesday. "Once the foreclosure is complete, we can go to the next phase of holding the bank accountable and holding the service provider accountable."
Kearns says the property will be auctioned off sometime in early August, according to the law, and that the service provider will need to make necessary repairs to bring the property up to code before then. He says anyone can bid on the property, which may appeal to buyers in this difficult housing market.
Under New York's Zombie Property and Foreclosure Prevention Act, service providers and banks can be fined up to $500 a day for not taking care of a foreclosed property, money that goes directly to the municipalities.
The Erie County Clerks Office says it is working with the WNY Law Center to handle any additional zombie home cases that are called into their office as a result of this story. The office can be reached by phone at 716-858-8785 or by email at ErieCountyClerkOffice@erie.gov.