Abandoned homes or "zombie" properties aren't always easy to identify for public officials and that is why the city of Niagara Falls is calling on its residents to help identify problem properties. Mike Arena reports.

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y.-- Linwood Avenue is in a normal neighborhood in Niagara Falls. Nice houses, most decorated for the holidays.

But one is not like the others. Evan Pierce says one home on Linwood has been abandoned for five years. Living next to it hasn't be easy.

"As you can see the roof of the house they've just put a tarp up to stop the water damage, one of the inspector told me the house is 85 percent mold, there's been a rodent infestation so numerous issues," said Pierce. 

Thanks to a grant from Local Initiatives Support Corporation, the city of Niagara Falls says it's going after zombie properties like this one.

Director of Community Development Seth Picirillo laid out the steps in the process.

"Figuring out who the owner is, contacting that owner, seeing if there's a purchase that can be made, where it is in the processes, if they're not doing, what they should be doing, hold them accountable for that," he said.

But most zombie houses appear stable on the outside, and the city is asking for residents to help identify abandoned properties.

"We created an email address zombiefight@niagarafallsny.gov, they don't have to leave their name, just give us information or pictures of any abandoned house in your neighborhood. That's how we found out about this house," said Piccirillo. 

Once enough properties are reported the city will then get to work hunting down its 25 most wanted list.

"We're going to go through that list and find solutions, working with banks, working with whoever owns them, holding them accountable and then reporting every month to the community, here we are with those 25 houses and once we get through that list we'll make another one," said Piccirillo. 

According to Piccirillo, the city never dedicated resource to eliminating zombie properties until now.

Pierce hopes to see results before it's too late for his neighborhood.

"Several of the neighbors have contemplated moving which is how a neighborhood deteriorates quickly it's a domino effect, we're trying to prevent that," said Pierce.