In New York $9 million in grant funding has been set aside to help local governments deal with vacant and abandoned properties stuck in foreclosure, known as “zombie homes.”
Local governments have used a previous version of this funding to gather data, hire more staff to enforce property codes and educate residents about foreclosure prevention.
The blighted homes became a problem after the 2008 housing market crash.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that the zombie homes decrease property value and can be a safety hazard.
Long Island has the highest number of vacant pre-foreclosure homes in the country.
The grants are expected to be awarded in April.
