Editorial: Springfield, the City of Homes, in danger of losing that status
EKelly | Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011 | No Comments »Springfield, the City of Homes, in danger of losing that status
By Republican Editorials |Springfield Republican| August 3, 2011
For nearly a century, Springfield has proudly touted its reputation as the City of Homes.
But it’s not a name the U.S. Census Bureau might attach to the Bay State’s third-largest city after a decade of rising housing foreclosures made worse by an unrelenting recession.
According to the latest census date, the number of vacant homes in Springfield rose to 4,954 in 2010 – up 22 percent from 2000. The figure includes single-family homes, condominiums and apartments.
The numbers are alarming enough, but they don’t reflect the number of homes and apartments lost in the June 1 tornado. Some 220 tornado-damaged structures, including 179 single-family homes, have been condemned, meaning they are unsafe for living.
What the city is facing is a perfect storm of a housing crisis. Springfield is not unique among older New England cities. Vacancies are also rising in Worcester,
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- Editorial: Historic house on Elliot Street in Springfield deserves reprieve
- Springfield Republican: PM’s new list of most-endangered historic properties to focus on tornado-damaged communities
- PM to hold “Ask the Expert” day in Springfield
- Call for Volunteers! Assistance for Tornado Affected Towns
- 25-27 Elliot Street on MA Most Endangered List
