Our History
The blight of zombie foreclosures has impacted municipalities throughout Erie County and across New York State for several years. When current Erie County Clerk Michael P. “Mickey” Kearns was the South District member of the Buffalo Common Council, he began fighting the zombie foreclosures issue. When Clerk Kearns became the 142nd District Representative in the New York State Assembly, he brought this fight to Albany and was instrumental in the passage of the 2016 Zombie Property and Foreclosure Prevention Law (“Zombie Property Law.”) As the Erie County Clerk since 2017, resolving the issue of vacant and abandoned zombie homes throughout the County has become a top priority in his office.
Due to the severity of this issue, the New York State Attorney General began allocating funds to selected municipalities with high concentrations of zombie foreclosures. The 2019 grant initiative was called Zombie 2.0. While this was a great step forward, zombie foreclosures persist in smaller communities that were ineligible to apply for Zombie 2.0 grants. Recognizing the need to assist these communities, Clerk Kearns issued a Request for Proposal on March 6, 2019, and the Western New York Law Center (“WNYLC”) was selected by a reviewing committee to be the vendor to provide for zombie property outreach services. On April 18, 2019, the Erie County Legislature approved Comm. 7E-29 authorizing Erie County to allocate $200,000 and enter into a contract with the WNYLC.
What is the Erie County Clerk’s Zombies Initiative?
The Erie County Clerk’s ZOMBIES Initiative is a collaboration between the Office of Erie County Clerk Michael P. Kearns and the Western New York Law Center. The main goal and purpose of this collaboration is to provide resources to Erie County municipalities and communities facing zombie foreclosures.
The ZOMBIES Initiative Team
Michael P. “Mickey” Kearns: Erie County Clerk
Michael J. Billoni: Zombies Foreclosure Communication Liaison
Allison Knapp: Zombies Community Engagement Paralegal, Western New York Law Center
Jamelle Williams Simmons
Christopher D. Kuwik
What is The Erie County Zombie Foreclosure Task Force?
The Erie County Zombie Foreclosure Task Force, founded by County Clerk Kearns and the Western New York Law Center, was created in response to the zombie foreclosure crisis in Erie County. The Task Force is made up of municipalities, banks, realtors, nonprofits, and other community leaders. The mission of the Task Force is to share ideas among key stakeholders, distribute strategies with proven results, identify obstacles, and create new ways of dealing with zombie properties. With the support and data from the County Clerk’s Office, the Task Force is able to identify those at risk for foreclosure sooner so that efforts can be made to prevent zombie properties. The Task Force meets quarterly.