BEDFORD – The Bedford Town
Board is moving ahead with plans to take action against so-called zombie
homes – houses where the owners walked away, usually due to financial
trouble, but the mortgage holders either have not initiated or concluded
foreclosure proceedings.
Town Supervisor Chris Burdick said the town has some houses that have been vacant for over nine years and are in terrible condition.
The town will use an existing law that authorizes the town board after
substantial notice to the owner and anyone with an interest in the property
to either order demolition where repair is not feasible or take down the
building and charge the cost back to the owner.
“In either case the town would have the authority to put a lien against the property for owner failure to pay the repair cost,” Burdick said.
A December 1 public hearing will be held on the plan.
