It's time for banks and lenders to be good neighbors, help us fight off the 'zombies' and keep them out of our communities.

Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara kicked off his "Be a Good Neighbor" campaign, calling on banks and lenders to be good neighbors and take responsibility for maintenance and upkeep of foreclosed homes under their ownership.

This website can help you keep up to date, fill out a complaint and join the fight. Please call or email our office if you've already reported or are planning to report a property in your neighborhood that has been vacant due to a foreclosure proceeding. To allow us to file a complaint with the New York Department of Financial Services on your behalf, please fill out the following consent form and mail to our office: http://assembly.state.ny.us/member_files/111/good_neighbor/complaint_form.pdf

Santabarbara is also a sponsor of a series of bills that:

• requires lenders to maintain foreclosure properties
• requires lenders to provide contact information for those responsible for maintenance of vacant properties
• ensures homeowners in foreclosure actions know their right to stay on the property until the day of the foreclosure sale
• requires banks to notify municipalities when they begin the foreclosure process
• creates a new fund to aid local municipalities through the New York State Abandoned Property Relief Act