Albany, NY - May 24, 2016 - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued the following statement on the New York State Assembly’s passage of the “Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act of 2016”, which requires a loan servicer – bank or otherwise – to maintain the property on a delinquent mortgage:
“Years after the housing crash, too many New York communities are still stuck in the crisis of foreclosed, abandoned zombie homes. I applaud the Assembly for taking a strong step by passing the Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act, which enjoys the support of local elected officials, law enforcement, and fair housing advocates all across New York. As of 2014, there were still 16,701 zombie properties in New York State. These abandoned homes drag down property values, burden local code enforcement, and threaten the safety of the neighboring communities. I call on the Senate to follow suit and finally get the zombie crisis behind us.”