The Property Preservation Group is a working group started in 2015 comprised of professional employees who work for the City. Each of these participating members have some part in addressing vacancy and blight in the City. Since December of 2015, this group has met once a month to focus on long standing issues in the City related to blight. The PPG has worked together to share ideas, experience, and resources to work toward the common goal. By working together, the PPG has resolved dozens of properties that have been a nuisance in the City for decades. In 2010 there were 74 significantly unsafe, vacant, and blighted properties identified. As of today 60, of these are fully resolved leaving only 14. Many of these properties were on one of the departments lists for over 25 years. To review the PPG 2021 Report and examples of prosperities that were turned around because of the work of the PPG, click here.
The PPG has worked with and partnered with many local businesses as well to resolve some of these long-standing issues.
“I believe the PPG is a tremendous asset to the city. As a property manager I have learned from experience that the sooner problems are recognized and addressed the less time and money it will take to fix them. The early identification of problem properties reduces liability and reduces the cost of resolving issues. The PPG is instrumental in this process. This
not only saves potential losses but gains the city tax revenue all while preserving the housing base. It’s a win-win-win”
Gregory M. Virgilio, President
Virgilio Property Management, INC
“Restoring vacant and blighted properties is a critical quality of life cations step. It requires a team effort to manage all of the legal, regulatory and fiscal issues abandonment create. The Property Preservation Group is that crucial team; community housing organizations like OneHolyoke CDC can’t do our work without such support.”
Michael J. Moriarty, Executive Director
OneHolyoke CDC
It was recognized that many departments in the City were working on the same issues faced by the local government. The various departments had no structured or organized way to work together in these problems. The PPG’s first meeting was in December of 2015 including the Building Commissioner, Director Community Development, Director Board of Heath, City
Solicitor, Director of Economic Development, Treasurer, Fire Chief, Mayors Office. The silos these departments have historically worked in have since been removed
Contact:
Damian J. Cote, Building Commissioner
City of Holyoke
coted@holyoke.org
413-322-5602