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Village could add Wiggins Street rental to housing authority

 

Greenport Village may be adding another rental property to its housing authority. 

Homeowners on Wiggins Street have offered to sell their property — which is now being rented to tenants — to the village to manage. A garage on the property could be torn down to create more parking space.

Mayor George Hubbard said the opportunity to buy the house would “keep it from becoming an Airbnb.” Tenants who currently reside there would only be displaced if the village needed to make repairs to the house.

According to village attorney Joseph Prokop, officials had determined the property could be a “significant benefit to the village,” but the it has yet to settle on a price with the owners. An initial “low-ball” bid was rejected, Mr. Hubbard said.

However, the Village Board may increase its offer. Mr. Hubbard said the house could be bought with community development funds and pay for itself through the price of rent.

Village Trustee Doug Roberts said the board needs to decide whether to pursue the purchase.

“We have to do our business or get off the pot on Wiggins Street,” he said. “It could be a potential code enforcement problem, depending on who buys it.”

No final determination was reached at this m0nth’s work session.