THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS

MAYOR DOMENIC J. SARNO

HOME OF THE BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME

Press Release: Contact: Jim Leydon, (413) 886-5166, JLeydon@springfieldcityhall.com,

Officials to Tour Redeveloped Homes and Highlight the Citys Highly

Successful Receivership Program
Who: Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Springfield Economic Development Officials
What: Tour of Rehabilitated Residential Homes
Where: 65 Riverview Terrace, Springfield, MA 01108
When: Friday, September 18, 2015 at 11:15 a.m.
September 16, 2015 -Springfield, MA- Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Springfield Economic
Development Officials will be highlighting the Citys successful Home Receivership Program. The tour
will be kicked off at 65 Riverview Terrace, which is currently on the market after a successful
rehabilitation.
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno stated, Post great recession we needed innovative solutions to combat the
growing number of distressed properties that were negatively impacting our neighborhoods. I am proud
to report the Citys receivership program has significantly contributed to rehabilitating over 250 homes
all across Springfield and is becoming a state wide model.
For the past seven years, receivership has been an important tool to stabilize neighborhoods and fight
blight. Receivership allows the city to ask the court to appoint someone to take over a property that is in
violation of the State Sanitary Code and it is clear that the owner is either unwilling or unable to bring
the property into code compliance. In most cases receivers de-lead properties as part of the receivership,
which in turn makes the properties safe for children to reside in by eliminating the public health issues
associated with lead paint.

City of Springfield 36 Court Street Springfield, MA 01103-1687 (413) 787-6100

Court appointed receivers invest their own funds in the rehabilitation of the properties; public dollars
are rarely used. Receivers obtain a lien that is superior to all other liens except municipal taxes; all
back taxes are paid as part of the receivership process and the properties are returned to habitable
condition, often with a higher fair market value than prior to the receivership. In some cases the mere
request for a receiver has resulted in either an owner or a lienholder (usually a mortgage holder) to come
forward, repair and maintain the property.
The properties in receivership are rehabbed with the oversight of the court, and are subjected to very
frequent inspections during the process. In select cases, receivership has been applied to demolish
properties where: there is no insurance available, the owner does not have the resources to demolish it,
and the cost of the demolition is less than the value of the vacant lot.
***Please note: media availability will be held at 65 Riverview Terrace with a quick home tour after the
speaking program. Attached are a brochure, a map highlighting all the receiverships to date and a map
of the homes that are on the tour in case you wish to follow. If any members of the media wish to utilize
transportation that is being provided please RSVP before Friday. ***
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