The ZOMBIES Initiative is a collaboration between the Western New York Law Center’s Vacant and Abandoned Property Department and the Erie County Clerk’s Office. Our goal is to hold mortgage servicers accountable and find solutions to blight in communities caused by Vacant and Abandoned houses. A ZOMBIE home is defined as a vacant and abandoned home with a delinquent mortgage.

When our team receives complaints from the community, we take the following steps to best determine how we can find a solution. We research the property to find out if there is a mortgage and to identify the responsible parties. If there is a mortgage, we file a complaint with the Department of Financial Services (DFS) who oversees complaints about vacant homes and relays concerns directly to the mortgage servicer. We continue to follow up with DFS and the mortgage servicer to ensure that the property is brought into compliance. While we receive and respond to hundreds of complaints about vacant properties across Erie County, we have chosen to maintain a list of priority properties so that we can focus our efforts.

DISCLAIMER: The ZOMBIES Initiative acts as a tool and resource for community members and municipalities. We do not make policies or legal decisions regarding Zombie homes. Our goal is always to help facilitate solutions to blight, and this work is not possible without the cooperation and participation of the community, local officials and municipalities.