Zombie Properties Departmental Task Force
“Creating a happy healthy home is a mission of the Cities RISE initiative. In partnership with New York State, my administration will work with our residents to the strengthen quality of life by changing Mount Vernon for good. — Mayor Richard Thomas
On Tuesday, April 23, 2019, the Zombie Properties Departmental Task Force which is comprised of the Planning, Buildings, Fire, Police, Public Works, Law, Water departments as well as the Office of the Assessor, met to discuss ongoing quality of life issues related to zombie properties throughout the city. Immediately after the meeting, Mayor Richard Thomas and the task force toured some of these zombie properties to act against absentee landlords that don’t take care of their properties.
The properties in question have been vacant for many years. The Buildings Department issued citations for code violations and the Water Department ensured that the water was off to deter squatters from breaking into the vacant properties.
One of the properties visited has unpaid taxes totaling over $200,000. The City has an IN-REM legal process that allows the City to take property owners with at least two years of unpaid taxes to court. This process is managed by the Comptroller and the Department of Finance, however, there is no record of any new IN-REM cases for the past 16 months since Comptroller Deborah Reynolds took office in January 2018.
Mount Vernon’s official motto was set in 1892 as “The City of Happy Homes.” The Mayor’s Healthy Homes Initiative hopes to reclaim that identity with a city-wide campaign to engage residents on issues that affect their quality of life. Under this initiative, the Zombie Properties Task Force will work to remove blight that affects property values and the overall quality of life for Mount Vernon residents.
Homeowners with over $80,000 in tax arrears can apply for state assistance by contacting Westchester Residential Opportunities at 914–428–4507. Properties that are owned by LLCs or absentee landlords do not qualify for this assistance.
In collaboration with New York State and Enterprise Community Partners’ Cities RISE program, the Mayor’s Healthy Homes Initiative will launch a new initiative called Mount Vernon RISE (Report, Inspect, Service, Enhance). This city-wide campaign will enable residents to report quality of life issues at cmvny.com/citiesrise.
Armed with information from citizens, the City will inspect and issue violations to homeowners who are in violation of the City’s codes. More importantly, through the city-wide civic engagement plan, City Departments hope to establish direct communication with residents to better understand neighborhood conditions and provide targeted services.
Residents interested in learning more are welcomed to attend a public forum scheduled for Thursday, May 2, at 6:30pm at the Church of the Ascension located at 104 Park Avenue in Mount Vernon.
