The Village of Holley Development Corporation has finally taken ownership of the so-called “Diaz Homes.”
Orleans Hub reports the village took title to the eight vacant houses from the Environmental Protection Agency this week after two years of negotiations. All eight homes were sprayed with toxic chemicals after a breakdown at the former Diaz Chemical Company plant in Holley. The EPA bought the Jackson Street homes from their former owners as part of its Superfund cleanup of the accident site.
Diaz went bankrupt and shut down after the accident in 2002. The EPA demolished the plant and gradually cleaned up the land as funds permitted.
Village officials say they’ll sell the homes to new owners. Ninety percent of the money they make will go back to the EPA and the village keeps the rest. Holley’s mayor says the important thing is that eight zombie homes will go back on the tax rolls. He also says the EPA has tested them and found no problems except for some lead paint; no trace of the leaked chemicals.