By Ashley Hassett & Eileen Buckley
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-988684.mp3
Buffalo, NY – The city of Buffalo held it's tax foreclosure auction at the Buffalo Convention Center Monday.
More than 2,000 properties were put on the auction block this year. That's about ten percent more properties than last year, but late last week a judge blocked the city from auctioning off any properties that owed only city garbage and user fees.
Commissioner of Assessment and Taxation Martin Kennedy said although those properties were knocked-off the list, liens on other properties purchased at the auction will be removed.
"People come for making investments. People come for property that they're going to convert to their personal residence, which is terrific. Taking a property that's say been a derelict property or property that's been remise. You get a new owner in there and they will bring it back up to code and put it back on the tax roll, it's good for them, it's good for the city, it's good for the community, it's good for everybody," said Kennedy.
Interested bidder Cherie Ciadella attended the auction to bid on houses she would like flip. She tells WBFO News enjoys flipping homes because it helps clean up the community.
"When you drive through a neighborhood and you see a house sitting for so long, you typically wonder why is it not rented, why is nobody there. It's nice to see people have the houses rented, and it makes the communities better, and the neighborhood better," said Ciadella.
Ciadella said more homeowners and decent landlords will help make this community better.
The city's three day foreclosure auction continues through this Wednesday.