Residents in Buffalo's Hamlin Park community are continuing to deal with an avalanche of cash offers for homes in their neighborhood. Some believe the offers are bordering on harassment.
Masten District councilmember Ulysees Wingo wants something done to make sure the cash doesn't push people out who have saved an urban neighborhood.
"It's really akin to collections calling, folks who are calling for collections on bills," Wingo said.
"These phone calls are giving them an unrealistic and unfair sense of urgency in selling their property which makes a lot of people uneasy and it's unsettling for a lot of folks."
Hamlin Park resident Deyron Tabb said it is frustrating to be harassed by phone calls to buy his home. He is only 28 years old and a fairly new resident in the community.
"They solicit you via e-mail. They send letters out to my house," said Tabb, who believes the buyers are "preying on our seniors."
Tabb maintains many of the offers are well below market value.
Wingo wants the calls stopped somehow. He said he wants seniors to age in place in their Hamlin Park homes and making sure sidewalks are shoveled in winter and lawns cut in warmer weather will help.
