By Hayleigh Gowans

Staff Writer

Recently, the DeWitt Town Board made moves to combat the nationwide problem of unoccupied buildings — also called zombie properties — to maintain the property value of homes in DeWitt.

Zombie properties are buildings that have been abandoned by the owner — typically after a foreclosure notice — and are left in the hands of banks until the foreclosure process is complete, which can take years. Often, these properties left abandoned fall into a state of deterioration and can cost the taxpayers money through extra need for code enforcement and fire and police protection because the homes can become a haven for vandalism and crime, said Town Supervisor Ed Michalenko.

The town will combat these properties, said Michalenko, by acquiring the properties through existing town laws relating to eminent domain, and turning the land over to the Greater Syracuse Lank Bank who will restore them. The town will then sell the properties to interested homeowners, he said.

“This is a national problem, it’s not unique to DeWitt,” said Michalenko. “After the 2007 mortgage crisis, a lot of properties went abandoned and there’s such a high turnover of the mortgage between banks, it’s hard for code enforcement to know who to contact about the properties … We’re tired of the wait and not being able to do anything.”

At the Nov. 28 meeting of the board, a public hearing to begin this process for two properties, 102 Wellington Drive and 5685 Thompson Road, was set for the next meeting, 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 12. This public hearing is a final opportunity for the homeowner or the bank who manages the property to have a say before a decision for the town to acquire it through eminent domain is carried out.

In total, Michalenko says the code enforcement office has a list of about 50 properties that are considered zombie properties throughout the town. A goal of this action is to maintain property values in the town and keep up the aesthetic value of the neighborhoods. 

“This really isn’t a problem of socioeconomic status,” said Michalenko. “These 50 properties are spread pretty evenly throughout the town.”

Michalenko said he doesn’t expect there to be a cost to taxpayers because the town intends to sell the restored properties to cover the costs from acquiring the property.

To learn more about the upcoming public hearing, contact the town clerk at 446-3910 ext. 2 .