OPINION: City of New Bedford should reward property owners who perform renovations

Joshua Medeiros Botelho provided some great points on New Bedford Guide’s Facebook page in response to the City of New Bedford raising property taxes for 2019:

“This is one of the biggest reasons why you see so many run-down homes. The majority of houses in New Bedford are owned by landlords. Now, why would a landlord spend money on a home that will generate income regardless just so the city’s valuation can go up and they can charge you this ridiculous rate? Majority of landlords couldn’t care less because they don’t live there and they’re getting rent whether the house is run down or cleaned up.

The City should have a program that rewards property owners (landlords, homeowners, or business owners) when they make renovations perhaps a tax credit or lowered rate for a set amount of years depending on the cost of renovation or repair. Maybe then we would see some neighborhoods get cleaned up. As of right now, people are just getting punished more and more with higher tax rates after already having to pay for renovations and repairs. It’s a lose-lose situation for landlords, tenants, homeowners, business owners, residents, and neighborhoods.” – Joshua Medeiros Botelho