New York State Creates Zombie Home Hotline

In order to battle what is being called a "scourge of abandoned homes" and a defense of "American Dream," Governor Andrew Cuomo has implemented a hotline for New Yorkers to call in order to report zombie homes.

Zombie homes, those which have been abandoned and/or fallen into disrepair, contribute to an overall drop in property value and affect communities, according to the governor.

In order to maintain an up-to-date digital registry of such homes, residents are encouraged to call (800) 342-3736 to report zombie properties.

The move has been praised by state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who declared:

“This hotline will help localities address the scourge of abandoned homes, which drag down property values and create unsafe conditions across New York State. The hotline provides added teeth to the recently passed zombie home legislation, facilitating compliance and a path out of the crisis that has persisted years after the housing crash hit. I applaud Governor Cuomo, Senator Klein, and Assembly Member Weinstein for partnering with my office in this effort, and for making this critical issue a priority.”

For more information, Governor Cuomo's press release on the matter can be found here.