By Adam Swift
Five properties that the city has taken for non-payment of taxes could be put to use to help expand Revere’s affordable housing stock.
Last week, the city council agreed to discuss conveying the five properties to the Revere Affordable Housing Trust Fund’s Board of Trustees at a future meeting of its economic development subcommittee.
“We have five tax title properties that were taken at various times, most recently in 2019, for nonpayment of taxes, that are developable with some zoning relief,” said Director of Planning and Community Development Tom Skwierawski. “My office has been partnering with the Affordable Housing Trust Fund board on disposing of these properties that we had no use for that are kind of relatively low value, that are a maintenance burden on our portfolio today.”
Once the properties were in the hands of the affordable housing board, the board could put out a request for proposals for the properties for the purpose of creating affordable housing in the city. That could be done either through the creation of deed-restricted affordable housing on the properties, or by selling the properties at market rate and then using that money for affordable housing activity in other areas of the city, said Skwierawski.
The five properties are on North Shore Rear Road, the State Highway, Hichborn Street, Glendale Street, and Bay Road.
Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky said he would have liked the ward councillors to have received more information about the properties before they came before the council.
“I would like to know more details on each specific issue before I vote on it,” said Novoselsky.
Skwierawski said he wasn’t anticipating the council to vote at last week’s meeting, and would provide more information to all the ward councillors who have properties in their wards before the economic development subcommittee meeting.
