OGDENSBURG -- Ogdensburg was awarded a $150,000 grant from the state to address its growing problem of zombie properties, but is waiting for contract documents before it can proceed.

“The city was awarded our full request of $150,000. Presently we are awaiting contract documents and further correspondence from the Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC) before we are able to proceed with this program,” a public update from the city says.

The city was one of 100 communities to be invited to the pilot program that aims to help homeowners facing foreclosure and to put pressure on banks to maintain properties they are in the process of taking over.

Most zombie properties are in a sort of limbo, where the occupants have moved out but the bank has not finished the foreclosure process.

Oftentimes this means the property falls into disrepair as the water isn’t shut off causing pipes to burst, or lack of maintenance leads to other problems such as broken windows or leaky roofs.

This can lead to properties becoming unsightly or in some cases unsafe.

Recognizing this problem the state’s Local Initiatives Support Corporation established a Vacant Properties Remediation and Preventative Initiative Grant that aimed at reducing adverse effects of vacant and abandoned properties.

In May Ogdensburg city councilors passed a resolution calling on the state to enact an “Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act to address the problems. The LISC grant is part of that larger scope.