Port Residents Bring Ideas for Increasing Home Ownership

Middletown and Newburgh working to rehab foreclosed houses

Debbie Raia, a Port Jervis resident and owner of Twenty Seven Gallery in Port Jervis speaks at a home ownership workshop on Feb. 25, 2016 in the City of Port Jervis’ council chambers. Holly Kellum/Epoch Times

PORT JERVIS—Eight people spoke before a packed room in the Port Jervis Common Council chambers Feb. 25 in a brainstorm session about what to do with city-owned properties that the city hopes to see back on the tax roles under good ownership. They are dealing with a problem faced by cities throughout Orange County.

The city withheld 31 properties from the 2015 tax lien sale with the idea that it could refurbish and sell them to new owners.

My intention is not money making, my intention is to get good homeowners in houses.

— Mayor Kelly Decker