SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – City Councilor Lavar Click-Bruce is looking to address the issue of abandoned properties within the city.
22News spoke with Click-Bruce who is calling on the city to form a study committee to examine what he calls ‘blighted’ properties and its impact on Springfield neighborhoods. Click-Bruce said the city must use innovative strategies to address this long standing issue, adding an abandoned house can change the entire character of a street and prevent residents from investing in their own properties.
“One of the things that I’ve seen when I was canvasing the city of Springfield was some blighted properties in the city. What that means is board-up properties or properties that have extreme grass grown. Working in the mayor’s office, I use to get a lot of phone calls,” said City Councilor Click-Bruce.
Click-Bruce confirmed he has received support from City Council President Jesse Lederman and Vice President Melvin Edwards to refer to the Planning and Economic Development Committee to study the issue.
