Forsaken: Two Streets, 27 Vacant and Abandoned Homes Buffalo

[TheSugarmumma]

anything built using asbestos or repaired with it is bound to this kind of an end .... its very expensive to remove and dispose of ..... full hazmat suit sorta deal.... they started using asbestos as a building material in 1858.... sad waste really....

[girldiesel]

so many homeless people and yet some are abandoning their house just like that and only them knows why..

[Sodiumreactor]

@girldiesel "only them knows why". Do you not understand the economy right now? They are not leaving because they want to. They are leaving because they cant afford the payments anymore. The banks are unwilling to deal with people, since the banks already got their money from the Govt., they dont have to make any deals with the homeowners who are late on the payment.

[dumpstermower]

It's very sobering to watch videos like this. I wish I knew what the answer was. I don't think it's any one solution. I believe apathy has a lot to do with it. Loss of jobs overseas, relying too much on only one industry (think auto industry in Detroit), irresponsible lending and borrowing practices, etc. Just my humble opinion. Anyway, it's sad to see this.

[vrp52]

All over youtube I see lots of these pictures and think it would be a good idea if the city and state could fund a urban revitalization program like habitat for humanity and pull this neighborhood up out of the gutter and do something possitive for those who are'nt able to afford to purchase in upscale neighborhoods,But nobody caresabout helping anybody especially the government.All they want to do is take away jobs and raise taxes,while that money dissappears into the pockets of the elitest !

[bmw803]

@vrp52 Yo, you partly right. They try to take taxes and dont give a shit, but you forgot that even if they clean up the place and fund revitalization, who will buy those new houses and pay for them when there's no more work. You said it yourself, all the care are their taxes. They put companies out of business and bussinesses closed their doors and layed people off. It's a vicious circle.

[electricpole1]

I was born in this neighborhood, and a firend's house is shown @ 5:13. It was a proud, working class Polish neighborhood. People barely got by, but they helped each other, and had the self respect to take care of their own affairs, homes and relatives. No one down there today is any poorer than they were when the Poles lived there. They just lack initiative, self respect and values. Always blaming, and looking to the government to bail them out of the consequences of their poor life decisions.

[Fonzi79]

What is this song called?

[ezescousin14213]

@Fonzi79 the tea party - psychopomp

[220love07]

too sad!! i use to live in the area & the music isn't making this any easier to watch. show some of the areas that have been revitalizes.

[antzzy1]

Instead of leaving them abandoned let poor people live in them! What kind of freaking society are to leave this abandoned, it's not like they are going to sell anyway!

[HRMOKeefe]

@antzzy1 220love07 Poor people cant afford the thousands of dollars in repairs and wouldnt do the work to fix these houses up. Thats why you see volunteers working at shelters, they wont even clean up after themselves. Ever rent to a poor family? They dont pick up anything, never even do basic cleaning.

[CaptainOTA]

Its sad its really sad. The American side of Buffalo/Niagara Falls is a mess. I think the answer lies somewhere in what Fort Erie and Niagara Falls Canada is doing. I'm not sure what we're doing differently on our side but... I dunno I hope our American cousins figure it out. Something isn't right. 10 mins up the road over the Peace Bridge it doesn't look like this. America is known for being a strong group of fighters. Its time to stand and fight for your urban centers!

[lucy9359]

@CaptainOTA It must depend on what part of Canada we are talking about I suggest you check out north east saskatchewan or winipeg etc... Canada does have these trashed out areas they are in our non tourist areas where our native indian populations are high.... and they look the same... sault ste marie and thunder bay and timmins are also getting them now... once again large native populations where the rental properties are trashed... land lords abandon them and walk away

[mindvox626]

@CaptainOTA Canada has strict zoning laws that prevent suburban sprawl because the only livable parts in Canada is right by the boarder of the united states and they have to share that little space they have with agriculture. The cost of infrastructure is the same in buffalo whether people live there or not. So tax dollars are wasted to subsidize the city. Suburbs are the problem.

[Garwood900]

Sure, Buffalo has problems like most old industrial eastern citys. It's too bad things have come to this level of decay, but we're not alone.

Check out Detriot........much larger areas of Detroit are a wasteland!

Things could be worse.

[ReviewCam]

Beautifully created video. Tragic what has happened to Buffalo. Black Rock/Riverside is heading down the same forsaken road.

[tylersilverchoice]

I thought this blight only occured in detroit. Damn America is crumbling!!

[wauquelin]

Western New York is a total shithole. High taxes, high crime, high unemployment, and high levels of snow and assholes.

[Fonzi79]

What is this song?

[rickster348]

Don't point out the truth, people don't understand it. (group think)

[jgbaren]

Your local arsonists must not be very ambitious

[narcolepsy2006]

Very strange..wonder what happened here. I've never seen anything like that before.

[Darkmatter28031]

so.........what happened here? OwO

[thegoatnazi]

blacks and sheenie slumlords. chrissy1562 you are not a racist. just pointing out a valid point others are to ball less to point out thumbs up.

[chrissy1562]

Not to sound ignorant, but why does no one state the obvious truth of the matter, this is what happens when blacks move into an area, bottom line, deny it all you want, I have NEVER seen a predominantly black neighborhood in which I would dare to venture, much less live in.. We have little Italy, Chinatown, etc. You could call places like this Little Africa, the resemblance is uncanny. Now, all I have to do is sit back and wait for the responses calling me a racist, etc.,

[alexsanchez0]

Your not a racist, your just a moron.

[DaphneeVieux]

I agree with AlexSanchez. You have "NEVER seen a predominantly black neighborhood in which I would dare venture....." Well the world is better for it. Black neighborhoods do not need one more person "venturing" in their neighborhood who wears the stank of "better than" attitude between theirs shoulders. I say stick to your neighborhood because the "predominantly" black neighbors do not need you in theirs!!!!!

[7514328]

chrissy1562: You do have a valid point. However, it is much worse. Most people would rather buy a new car than to replace old windows,new carpet, new paint of plants/trees.. These were once great familiy homes. But, people would rather buy playstations, fashion clothing and newer cars than to maintain and own there homes. Plus, many homes/neighborhoods are just dead ends. I prefer to stay away from areas surrounded with apartments/condos.

[MrJoseph1157]

Quite true.Its not a raciak issue,its folks taking advantage.nobody gives a crap anymore.

[hotsaucemmmm]

your a losser

[chrissy1562]

Before you begin calling anyone a loser you need to learn how to spell "loser"!

[hotsaucemmmm]

well thats ok we all know you are a losssssssssser

[wallmarthobo]

perfect for spelunking

[formulaprimer]

Need to turn into farm land. Dairy cattle will do well here.

[msrouse]

there will be no money to buy the milk

[actop19]

Looks like a sweet place to play paintball!

[951INLANDEMPIRE]

President Obama's Stimulus Package is not going to work ... California is in 2 much debt 2 recover. Where at the tip of the iceberg....we're fucked~!

[drealm]

I haven't gotten my tax return yet from california - just a big fat IOU. I'm fucked.

[MBindics]

buffalo, jamestown, niagara falls, dunkirk they all gutta. people round here dont like other people.

[siraff2]

How much does a house there cost then? Can't be a lot looking at the state of that. Or is it too much and that's why they're empty?

[missinternet26]

nice...but can we go inside? ;)

[Malackaka]

Silent Hill

[leela2007]

thats a depressing site, sad song to with it..I wonder what kind of history the houses had..I actually live behind an abandoned house. It's pretty small..but I wonder about the history and why it was abandoned?

[kimmarie801]

why are the homes abandoned?

[payless1981]

According to todays Buffalo News, CITY HALL owns most of the empty houses in this city. So....who gets to sue them for housing violations?

[beenie3]

I live in Schenectady. In nearby Albany they've been making a fuss about the 900 vacant buildings in the city. That number seems pale in comparison to Buffalo.

[stg44rulz]

the song is (psychopomp) by (the tea party)

[stg44rulz]

whats the song?

[drshagstein]

Sad, but not surprising. Buffalo has been hemorrhaging people since the 1950's, and there doesn't seem to be any sign that Buffalo's population will stop declining anytime soon. It's a moribund city whose ruins someday will probably attract more tourists than the current living (but terminally sick) city does.

[johnh23]

I say she'll turn it around and soon. The Gentrification folks and their capital will wake up to Buff. soon. She'll Great once again!!

[davbo77]

wicked track, luv Tea Party

[joeybmx1]

RLGP

[timhun]

They are not worth the amount of money: because they're in a neighborhood who's misery has piqued. It's not much longer until the current status quo of Polonia transitions to the suburbs of Cheektowaga! If these houses could stand for 10 more years, their values would increase! Sadly, standing for 10 years is optimistic. ;.(

[joeybmx1]

Jessie did that to the house at 5:14

[jimkinner]

It's so bleak. About half the dwellings in Buffalo are not worth the amount of money it would cost to tear them down.