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Holyoke committee hears Board of Health on vacant-building fees, pushes for data integration and enforcement
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Summary
Board of Health official Timothy Rivers told the DGR committee that fee increases and revised registry forms have generated more maintenance plans and that the city is pursuing data integration, liens and a revolving fund to address blight. Councilors pressed for stronger interdepartmental enforcement and clearer revenue estimates.
Timothy Rivers, a Board of Health representative, told the Holyoke City DGR committee on Feb. 23 that the office has implemented revised registry forms and mailed notices after an October ordinance increasing vacant-building fees.
Rivers said the office has received more maintenance plans than in prior cycles; under the ordinance, approved rehab or maintenance plans can reduce a fee by 50 percent and, when owners do not pay, the city records liens and may pursue enforcement or demolition. "We sent them out by ordinance Oct. 15," Rivers said, describing the mailing and appeal steps that follow. "Usually by April, that's when we'll start sending out the liens on the properties."
Councilors said the fee increase — and the maintenance-plan deduction — were intended to target larger commercial properties, not small residential owners. "The intention of this order was to call attention to some of the larger properties," Councilor Michael Sullivan said, urging a focus on commercial owners and coordinated action across departments.
Committee members discussed operational changes Rivers recommended: cross-departmental data integration to identify vacancy (for example, utility shutoffs), procurement of a compliance contractor and emergency board-up services, and routine maintenance using funds from a vacant-building revolving account. Rivers said the increased revenues would flow into a revolving fund dedicated to vacant-building compliance and that the administration has procurement actions underway for a compliance contractor and emergency board-ups.
Councilor Israel Rivera requested an estimate of the theoretical revenue if all identified properties paid the increased fee; Rivers agreed to provide additional data. Multiple councilors volunteered to participate in the city'9s problem-property or property-preservation groups to improve list accuracy and oversight.
The committee voted that the order had been complied with and encouraged continued follow-up. Next steps include staff providing revenue estimates, a deeper review of the registry list and coordination between the Board of Health, building department and OPED to implement routine maintenance and enforcement steps.
