Senator Chuck Schumer urged the Department of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday to approve a plan that would allow the city of Rochester to acquire vacant homes and rehabilitate them.

That plan is the Asset Control Area Renewal Agreement. Since 2003, this agreement has allowed the city to acquire 750 foreclosed homes, rehabilitate them and then sell them back to first-time homebuyers. But the agreement with the federal government expired back in February, forcing the city to stall its plans.

"We need HUD to move quick,” Schumer said. “We need HUD to stop dragging its feet. The asset control agreement with the city of Rochester is the vital glue that makes this a win, win, win."

There are still over 2,000 so-called zombie homes in the Rochester community. Schumer's office estimates that each rehabilitated home can boost neighboring property values by $15,000.