Selling Foreclosed Properties

At last night's Common Council meeting, two resolutions having to do with property owned by the City of Hudson, as a consequence of foreclosure for nonpayment of property taxes, were introduced. The first resolution pertains to 6 Lucille Drive.

In October 2017, the house was one of the properties offered for sale at auction by the City. The minimum bid--the amount owed in back taxes--was $16,512.40. There were no bids on the property.

In December 2018, the Common Council passed a resolution to take $15,000 from the fund balance to reimburse the Department of Public Works for demolishing the building. The demolition has not yet taken place, and the City recently received an offer to buy the house for $8,000. At last night's informal Council meeting, a resolution was introduced to sell the house in "as is" condition to the people who offered to buy it to for $8,000.

Photo: Rich Volo

Photo: Rich Volo

Interestingly, although the house is considered by the neighbors to be an an eyesore and a potential hazard, no mention is made in the resolution of any requirement or expectation that the new owners will demolish it.

The other property owned by the City that is the subject of a resolution before the Common Council is a vacant lot on Spring Street. This property was also included in the October 2017 auction, with a minimum bid of $7,384.15, and it was sold for that amount at the auction. Somehow, though, the City ended up still owning it. The resolution now before the Council authorizes placing a "For Sale" sign on the property. It's unclear how much good that will do. Spring Street is a dead end without a lot of drive-by traffic.

The Council will be voting on both resolutions at its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, February 19. The resolution to sell 6 Lucille Drive requires a three-quarters majority; the resolution to put a "For Sale" sign on the vacant lot on Spring Street requires a simple majority.
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