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Council hears update on long‑running enforcement at 22 Gregory Street; owner fined roughly $204,000
Summary
City staff told the council that 22 Gregory Street has a long history of blight and that a judge has assessed about $204,000 in fines; staff said they plan stronger legal steps, including foreclosure on liens, instead of repeated cleanups.
City staff briefed the council on enforcement actions at 22 Gregory Street during departmental reports on Nov. 7.
Sean Stillman, the unit director, recounted the property’s longtime distressed condition, previously coordinated court‑ordered cleanups and a series of compliance failures by the owner. He said a judge imposed roughly $204,000 in fines for recurring violations and ordered payment to begin Nov. 1 at $100 per month. Stillman said the owner had not paid and was found in contempt; the owner was briefly incarcerated during an October court appearance before agreeing to a payment plan.
Staff told the council they judged additional ad hoc cleanups to be an inefficient use of city resources and are exploring “more hardened legal aspects,” including foreclosing on liens already filed against the property, to secure long‑term compliance.
Council members asked about whether ordinance or procedural changes could accelerate enforcement for similar properties; the mayor indicated staff and legal counsel are reviewing options and will return to the council with recommendations, including use of state statute where applicable.
The council did not take immediate formal action on drafting new local ordinances at this meeting; staff said they will propose ad hoc work and possible ordinance changes once more concrete legal options are identified.
