The list of approximately 4,362 foreclosed houses in Boston could be posted on the city’s website any day — a measure that, advocates say, could prevent incidents such as last month’s murder of a Domino’s deliveryman called to an abandoned Hyde Park home.
The Hyde Park address wasn’t on the city’s list of foreclosed properties but could have easily been, according to City Councilor Rob Consalvo.
“[Restaurants] should have the right to know someone is calling from a property that’s foreclosed and they can take steps like sending two guys — anything to be more careful,” Consalvo said.
Dave Grossman, director of Harvard’s Legal Aid Bureau, said it’s a good idea to make the already public list more accessible, but worried those living in foreclosed homes would suffer — especially since a new state law allows people to live in their foreclosed homes.
“If it means those properties are basically black listed from pizza or food delivery that’s unfair to owners living in there,” Grossman said.
Consalvo, who said they could tweak the measure if needed, estimated that 90 percent of the listed properties are abandoned. He said listing those properties on the city’s website will make them more secure and less of a blight.
“Our intent is, if someone isn’t living in the property, to make sure it’s maintained and isn’t a security threat to the neighborhood,” Consalvo said.
