The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety members took action last week on a request to waive a lien on a property purchased by Freedom Home Solutions, LLC, a company that completely rehabilitates blighted properties into a livable home and puts it back on the market for sale.
A company representative said the purchase of 108 Liberty Street was made during a tax sale and it was later learned that a $400 lien existed from a previous owner.
Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver explained that the city’s street department generated clean-up costs on two different occasions when the owner failed to do the work. The owner did not pay the costs. As a way to collect the fees owed, the lien was filed. Xaver noted that $50 of the lien was the city’s fee for filing the paperwork with the county.
City Attorney Sean Surrisi commented that it’s common for the city to provide incentives to businesses attempting to make improvements in the community and while improving housing is in the planning documents of the city, he recommended that the board vote against the request.
Board member Bill Walters said this could set a precedent and has mixed emotions on the matter while Board member Shiloh Milner said the board could look at each instance on a case by case basis.
Board member Duane Culp made a motion to waive $350 of the lien and leave $50 for the city’s fee for filing the lien with the county. The vote ended in a tie, with Board Member Jeff Houin abstaining, which caused the measure to die. After further discussion, the same motion was offered and passed with Houin’s abstention.
Xaver urged company representatives to ensure no liens are on any future properties purchased so this issue doesn’t reoccur.
