Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office recently received $435,000 in federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds to expand the Abandoned Housing Initiative (AHI). 

Through the AHI, the attorney general’s office, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) will assist municipalities in rehabilitating dangerous, abandoned homes throughout the state.

The AHI model empowers communities to work with the attorney general’s office to locate delinquent property owners, demand repairs and petition the Housing Court for appointment of a receiver. 

Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) awarded the attorney general’s office the funding.

 "As a result of the foreclosure crisis, the number of abandoned properties in Massachusetts has skyrocketed in the past several years," said Coakley. "These properties are susceptible to building code violations, deterioration, and criminal activity such as copper stripping and theft, drug dealing, and even arson. Such issues not only threaten public safety, but they hinder our efforts to revitalize neighborhoods ravaged by foreclosures and to help communities realize economic stability. We are pleased to receive this additional funding and look forward to collaborating with the Massachusetts Housing Partnership to tackle this issue with our Abandoned Housing Initiative."