North Adams Housing Agency Finds Potential Buyers For Properties
 The Housing Authority postponed a vote on the sale of a lot on River Street to its next meeting. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A local housing nonprofit may have a buyer for one the properties it has left.
Housing Opportunities Inc., which uses government funds to purchase and rehabilitate homes for qualified buyers, is in the process of dissolving and turning over all of its assets to the city.
Its board, the same composition as the North Adams Housing Authority, met Monday night with Jennifer Hohn, the authority's executive director of the North Adams Housing Authority, to discuss the potential sale of the River Street lot.
Hohn said the North Adams Ambulance Service showed interest in the property because it wanted to use it for parking.
"It can't be used for much as far as development goes, but the abutting property might have some interest," Hohn said.
She said the service offered $12,000 for the property, which is appraised at $30,000. She said HOI purchased it for nearly $90,000 about a decade ago and the city ultimately tore down the building on the lot.
Hohn said it normally would not look good to sell assets for less than an appraised amount, however, she felt the ambulance service could get the most use out of it.
"I am not sure how appropriate it is for us to be removing this sort of asset from our portfolio … it just doesn't look good," Hohn said. "However, that said, it is the North Adams Ambulance Service, and it is going to good people and it's going to serve a purpose."
The money would go into a recapture account that eventually be turned over to the city.
Board member Ben Taylor said the dissolution of HOI could take a long time and by selling the land to the ambulance service now, they can quicken the transfer.
"It's going to be much more streamline and straight forward especially when it's going to the ambulance," Taylor said.
Hohn asked for the board's recommendation. Although board members favored the idea, they tabled it for further conversation at their next meeting.
Hohn also reported another communication from an individual who offered HOI $1,000 for property on River Street at the corner of Holden Street. She said the interested individual is an abutter and that the city owns half of the property.
The board tabled this item, too.
Hohn said the housing authority will soon attempt to sell a property on East Quincy Street. She said the property will go to the highest bidder.
"We hope it will be rehabbed and there will be some neighborhood revitalization," she said. "It's certainly better than sitting here condemned for the past 15 years. It will be back on the tax roll."
She also reported that she is continuing conversations with Louison House and the Division of Housing and Community Renewal on the transfer of the Flood House, located on corner of East Quincy and Meadow streets, to Louison, a local family shelter.
She said the house must be financially viable. She said it was not clear if the Family Life Support Center program will add the Flood House to its properties or move the program there from Adams. The Housing Authority has been debating the future of the Flood House for several years.
"It's a magnificent building, and it would be great to see it used," Taylor said.
Tags: Housing Authority, Real Estate, shelter,
