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 As Erie County Clerk, and a former Buffalo Common Council Member and former New York State Assemblyman, he has strongly advocated for policies to improve the quality of neighborhoods and fight blight in our communities. In response to constituent complaints, Clerk Kearns has pushed to hold banks accountable for abandoned foreclosures and allowing properties to fall into disrepair. After years of persistent efforts through the zombie property “Shame Campaign,” he was instrumental in the New York State Legislature passing the Zombie Property Law. As Erie County Clerk, he has made this issue a top priority in his office. Working with WNYLC, a first of its kind partnership in New York State was created with the Columbia Law School to assist municipalities in the county with zombie foreclosure issues. He also was instrumental in working with the Erie County Legislature to create and fund the Erie County Clerk’s ZOMBIES Initiative through WNYLC.
Michael J. Billoni, Zombies Foreclosure Communication Liaison Michael has spent more than 40 years in the communication business in Western New York. He began his career as a sports reporter for the Tonawanda News, Buffalo Courier-Express and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle before joining the Buffalo Bisons in 1983 when it was purchased by Bob Rich Jr. and Rich Products Corp. He served as its Director of Publicity, Promotions and Marketing before becoming Vice President and General Manager until he retired in 1996 because of complications from a near fatal bicycle accident. He has been inducted into the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame and in 1992 was named by Baseball America as one of the Nine Most Influential Men in Baseball. He began his Billoni Associates communication company in 2000 and along with public relations projects, he has authored one book and published two others. He earned a degree in Journalism from SUNY at Morrisville.
Jamelle Williams Simmons Jamelle has over 25 years of experience working in the human services field, serving as a community coordinator for People Inc. As the First Lady of the Cold Spring Bible Chapel, Jamelle is the coordinator of the Street Outreach Ministry where she develops and implements programs that help underserved populations in the city with food, clothing, job opportunities, housing, and referral services. Jamelle is also the organizer of the Queens of Growth Ministry that offers support for women struggling with day to day life issues, leading them to the word of God to better their lives.
Christopher D. Kuwik Christopher holds a BA in political science from the University of Florida and a master’s degree in public administration from SUNY Buffalo State. After graduate school, he completed the two-year Excelsior Service Fellowship Program in Albany, NY. He began his career in public service in 2011, working in the civil service before becoming an aide in the administrative office of Erie County Clerk Mickey Kearns.
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.