Governor Talks About Abandoned Buildings; DPNR to Host Town Halls
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. announced at his weekly briefing Wednesday he will be asking residents to help form a plan to deal with the territory’s derelict and abandoned buildings, with town hall meetings planned on all three islands.
2023-07-06 18:43:06 - VI News Staff
According to the governor, the number of degraded properties has increased in recent years because of the 2017 hurricanes, and they impede economic growth. Some of the buildings are unsafe and health hazards as well, he added.
Bryan said all government agencies and some stakeholders have been made aware of the initial planning. So far, the plan includes the use of a conservator — an individual or organization — to represent the owners and manage rehabilitating the properties. The goal of the plan is to preserve and revitalize towns and, later, outlying areas, the governor said.
“Although the conservator is taking control of the property, the title and the legal ownership of the property would remain with the family, individual, organization, whatever it was before. The owner would retain the legal right to that property,” Bryan said.
Speaking to owners of vacant and blighted properties is the first step in the outline the governor gave about his plan. Then a court would determine if the property was indeed abandoned and/or derelict. (What constitutes a derelict property is one of the questions yet to be answered.) The conservator would be appointed for 10 to 20 years and would handle architectural planning, permits for renovation, and, depending on the renovation, renting or selling the restored structure. The entire process would be overseen by a judge.