Position on incomplete / idling construction sites

Submitted by resident:
"An incomplete construction across the street from 383 Broadway in Winter Hill has sat roofless and windowless for about two years, with no sign of reaching completion. Besides being an eyesore in a very visible spot in the city, it is also a potential issue for public safety, where structural damage caused by weather element and vagrants could very well cause additional issues for surrounding residences. What is your position on correcting this problem and preventing similar situations from occurring in the future? Should contractors be held responsible for tearing down incomplete constructions if they are not completed within a certain amount of time? Or should the taxpayers pay for the demolition?

"Given the massive fire on Thurston Street last week, which occurred in an empty house under construction that might have been due to arson (still under investigation), public safety should be a real concern in unoccupied and incomplete construction sites in Somerville where population density is high."

 The recent fires and the displacement of families bring up a number of concerns. Thank you for your incisive question whether I would hold contractors responsible. I would and here's how.

If elected, I would consider a revision to the demolition ordinance. As the ordinance stands, the building permit could be revoked. I would lean to assessing penalty to the contractor since the contractor’s debt incurred under contract with the employer was not delivered. Discussion for a revised ordinance could weigh the proposed demolition consequence for faulty delivery of construction. Faulty delivery of construction in MA real estate law holds the contractor liable. 

In answer to the second part of the question, should taxpayer’s pay--no--I am strongly on the side of ‘bad luck’ provisions, an egalitarian premise, offering support to victims. Situations like this, 2021 fire on Morrison Ave caused $2 million in damage. I’m not certain whether all or most of that was covered by insurance. A mandate does exist to protect neighboring homes: unoccupied and vacant home insurance, required in Somerville by law in 2019, if the home is vacant for more than 90 days. The property must be registered with Inspectional Services within 90 days. A Reddit message from 2024 points out that getting owners “on the list” is a reminder serving them notice to maintain properties, but an annual fee could be charged to add more teeth. 

The case you point to is meaningful. It’s an eyesore--and needs to be treated as more than an objective, neutral fact. Moreover, incomplete constructions are sign of incomplete gentrification, in the sense income did not rise above the area median income. And that's something a discussion of an ordinance revision could treat adequately with expert testimony to enhance public discussion.

 

I hope to have your vote September 16 and November 4^th.

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