Assemblymember Pamela J. Hunter (D-Syracuse) announced the Assembly passed legislation she supported aimed at addressing the growing problem of abandoned residential properties due to foreclosure in our communities.

“We have seen far too many neighborhoods fall victim to the dangers posed by vacant homes and properties,” Assemblymember Hunter said. “Abandoned homes are a blight on our communities causing real estate values to fall and attracting crime while placing a higher burden on taxpayers. By passing these bills, we are fighting to ensure these properties are maintained and processed quickly to stop further destruction in our communities.”

The New York State Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act of 2016 (A.6932-A) would address these issues by requiring earlier detection and maintenance of vacant and abandoned residential properties, as well as:

• expanding the existing duty of a mortgagee to maintain vacant residential real property to include pre-foreclosure vacant properties;
• requiring periodic inspections to determine whether properties secured by a delinquent mortgage have actually been abandoned;
• allowing localities and the attorney general to enforce the maintenance of property requirements; and
• creating a statewide registry for abandoned residential property and a toll-free hotline for residents to report such properties.

Many New Yorkers facing foreclosure don’t know their rights during the foreclosure process and mistakenly believe they need to vacate their homes earlier than expected, and too often, lenders engage in predatory and deceptive business practices in an effort to force borrowers from their homes, Assemblymember Hunter noted.

To combat these growing problems and protect the rights of homeowners, additional legislation would allow homeowners to challenge the legality of a foreclosure proceeding at any point during the foreclosure process (A.247) and would clarify the law regarding mandatory settlement conferences, which are often critical in negotiating better outcomes in order to preserve homeownership (A.1298).

“We need to do all we can to prevent homeowners from becoming just another foreclosure statistic,” said Assemblymember Hunter. “That means giving homeowners the tools they need to avoid foreclosure and cracking down on deceitful lending practices. I am committed to helping hardworking families stay in their homes and preventing any further deterioration of our communities.”