Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine today announced the creation of a new mobile app and website where town residents can report abandoned homes in their neighborhood.

Romaine says that since the recession, whole neighborhoods in Brookhaven have found it difficult to sell their homes because of blight and neglect.

"We think this will help our efforts to get these houses back into circulation, or if they're beyond repair, to tear them down," says Romaine.

The Town of Brookhaven says there may be 3,000 to 4,000 houses that have been abandoned and foreclosed that now must be put on a registry.

The app is available on iPhone or android devices. More than 300 properties have been identified as abandoned, and the owners face heavy fines. Romaine says banks or mortgage companies are not immune from punishment.

Owners of abandoned properties face fines of up to $15,000.