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Clark Shores residents press Lakeville for help clearing town-owned lots and derelict homes
Summary
Clark Shores homeowners urged the Select Board to address abandoned and overgrown properties in their neighborhood. The board directed staff to research town-owned tax-title lots and propose a plan to clear overgrowth using tax-title proceeds or other mechanisms.
Residents of the Clark Shores neighborhood asked the Lakeville Select Board to help address multiple abandoned homes, overgrown town-owned lots and safety concerns that they say are depressing property values and creating public-health and emergency-access risks.
"There are at least four abandoned homes with collapsed roofs; one has a tree through it," said Melissa Raposo, identifying herself as a Clark Shores resident. "Kids go and play in there. There are rodent infestations and fire risk."
James Almeida, president of the Clark Shores Association, told the board the neighborhood has tried to collect HOA dues and to maintain roads and volunteer cleanup but still faces many properties in poor condition. He said the town currently owns 19 parcels in the neighborhood that are listed in tax-title and that the association has ongoing concerns about liability, snow-plow access, and public safety.
Town Administrator Andrew explained that the tax-title process can be protracted and that the town has been taking some of the properties into ownership through the treasurer/collector process. Select Board members discussed whether the town could either convey the lots to neighbors or the association or clear the lots and recoup costs at sale. Board members noted it is common for towns to recover costs from sale proceeds after tax-title acquisition rather than to front general-fund dollars.
After public comment the board directed staff to: (1) research and catalog town-owned tax-title parcels in Clark Shores; (2) estimate costs to clear overgrowth and to evaluate contracting those services; and (3) propose a mechanism to apply tax-title sale proceeds or remainder funds to abatement and cleanup on a case-by-case basis. Members also asked staff to report back with a timetable and recommended prioritization so that urgent safety nuisances can be addressed quickly.
Why it matters: Residents said derelict homes and uncontrolled vegetation are creating safety hazards, threatening emergency access and reducing property values in a neighborhood of more than 100 properties. The town-owned lots and tax-title parcels also create unresolved maintenance and liability questions for municipal departments.
What happens next: Town staff will inventory the town-owned parcels in Clark Shores, prepare cost estimates for clearing and remediation, and return to the Select Board with recommendations about whether to use tax-title proceeds to pay for cleanup and how to prioritize work.
Resident quotes
"We pay for our own plow, we pay for our own road work," James Almeida said. "We're just looking for the town to take care of their property that is growing out into the road."
Ending
The Select Board did not approve an immediate appropriation. Instead, members instructed staff to produce an inventory and cost estimate and to return with a recommended plan that would use tax-title proceeds or a third-party contractor to remove imminent hazards and overgrowth.
