ICYMI: Long Beach, Town of Hempstead Get Grant to Tackle Zombie Home Problem

The City of Long Beach and the Town of Hempstead were among the municipalities across the state that were awarded part of $13 million to combat "zombie homes" from the attorney general.

Eric Schneiderman, the state attorney general, announced the $13 million awards yesterday. The money was split between 76 municipalities across the state. Zombie homes are properties that are abandoned and not maintained while being foreclosed. It became a problem during the housing crisis of 2008, and became worse on Long Island after Hurricane Sandy, especially in hard-hit areas like Long Beach, when many people abandoned their homes.

“Too many homeowners across New York are still struggling to rebuild their communities in the wake of the housing crisis caused by major banks,” saidSchneiderman. “I’m proud that the funding obtained by my office’s settlement with Morgan Stanley will now help cities and towns across the state reverse the proliferation of zombie properties, which invite crime and threaten the value of surrounding homes. These grants will help rebuild, revitalize, and stabilize communities across the state.”

The money will address housing vacancy and blight by bolstering municipalities’ capacity for housing code enforcement, for tracking and monitoring vacant properties, and for legal enforcement capacity to ensure banks and mortgage companies comply with local and state law.

“This money will help offset the cost to our taxpayers associated with the administration of programs we have implemented to combat ‘zombie’ homes and businesses,” Hempstead Town Supervisor Anthony J. Santino said. “Every property that is vacant or unmaintained affects the value of the homes in our communities. The banks and owners must be good neighbors and properly maintain their properties.”

In May, the Town passed a zombie homes law which requires banks that foreclose on houses to remit a $25,000 security payment to the town to ensure the maintenance of the property. In June, a companion plan passed that would force banks and other lenders that foreclose on commercial properties to provide the Town with security funding in the amount of $35,000. Most recently, the town approved a law that requires property owners of unoccupied structures to register vacant buildings, produce a vacant building plan, pay security funding to ensure property maintenance and pay an annual registry fee.

Here's how much municipalities in the area are getting:

• City of Long Beach: $99,770
• Town of Hempstead: $350,000
• Village of Freeport: $152,000
• Village of Valley Stream: $100,000

Photo: Mike Tewkesbury.