Yoon Puts Appraisal of Curley House in Motion

May 14, 2009

BOSTON – City Councilor-at-Large and mayoral candidate Sam Yoon secured a commitment to seek an outside appraisal of the city-owned Curley House in Jamaica Plain through at a Council hearing today.

“There is strong community concern about the future of the Curley House,” said Yoon. “That’s why we need an appraisal of the property – to assess its market value so that we can make a data-driven decision about the future of the property. I’m thankful to have the cooperation of Chief Michael Galvin on this issue so we can finally have a meaningful and informed conversation.”

Yoon’s call for an appraisal was directed to Michael Galvin, Chief of the City’s Public Property Department, during the Council’s Ways and Means Committee hearing on department’s budget. Appraisals typically cost a few hundred dollars and provide information on how much a property is worth to rent, sell, or replace. Galvin said he would comply with Yoon’s request.

In February, a report from the Boston Finance Commission recommended the City take action on underutilized properties. The report found that that Curley House was used an average of just 10 days per year, with maintenance costs far exceeding its income. Yoon held a public hearing to discuss the report’s findings in March.