A state legislator is planning to file a bill to make it easier to rid Massachusetts municipalities of blighted property.
State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez of Springfield is crafting legislation that would set a 30-day deadline in Massachusetts to register the transfer of ownership of a property.
He said too often when there is a foreclosure, or distress sale, a new owner delays registering the deed. It makes it difficult for officials to find the rightful owner if the property is later abandoned.
" This is a problem throughout the state," said Gonzalez. " Finding out who is the owner of a property has become more difficult than getting a loan."
The legislation was endorsed Monday by Springfield city officials, who stood in front of a rodent-invested abandoned house, and explained it had taken years to obtain a court order to demolish the building.
