Manchester to auction off surplus city-owned lots
May 20—Manchester officials announced plans this week to hold a public auction next month to sell off surplus city-owned lots, with 100% of funds going to the city's Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
The public auction will be held Saturday, June 8 at 10 a.m. at JFK Coliseum, Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais announced Monday.
City aldermen recently deemed 15 lots surplus to the city's needs, clearing the way to put them up for sale. Of the 15 vacant lots, 12 were acquired by Tax Collector's Deed, officials said.
The sites were identified through a joint effort by several city departments — tax collector, assessing, planning and community development, public works and the solicitor's office.
In a statement, Ruais said Manchester believes in "turning surplus into service."
"The auction of city-owned lands isn't just about transactions; it's about transforming our surplus into solutions," Ruais said. "With 100% of net profits directed to our Affordable Housing Trust Fund, we're not just selling land; we're investing in the very fabric of our community, ensuring that every dollar spent today builds a bridge to a more equitable tomorrow."
The lots identified surplus are as follows:
—Wellington Hill Road, Lot 645-41;
—Wellington Hill Road, Lots 645-39 and 645-40;
—Erie Street, Lot 455-10, and Boynton Street, Lot 658-32A;
—Calef Road and Titus Avenue, Lot 554-17C;
—North Bay Street, Lot 770-23;
—Boston Street, Lots 283-1, 2, 3, and 8;
—Patterson Street, Lot 449-16B;
—Bicentennial Drive, 560-95A;
—Saint James Avenue, Lot 579-29;
—Pinehurst Avenue, Lot 685-14;
—Gosselin Road, Lot 750-11;
—Huntress Street, Lots 753-9E and 9G;
—Hackett Hill Road, 767-4B;
—Leo Street, Lot 853-34;
—44 Trolly Court, Lot 897-145.
"I would like to thank the Board of Aldermen for their overwhelming support of this initiative, their proactive efforts to address this challenge is a great service to our community," Ruais said in a statement.
The public auction is among several initiatives the city has undertaken to address homelessness since Ruais took office including:
—Expanding the Continuum of Care with the addition of 15 community partners.
—Rewriting the city's strategic plan to address opioid overdoses with the release of the 2024 City of Manchester Overdose Prevention Strategy.
—Creating additional housing units with the ordinance change the mayor's office proposed to increase the number of Accessory Dwelling Units and multi-family units in the city.
—Working with Members First Credit Union to launch a pilot program connecting homeless individuals with identification cards and their birth certificates at no charge at the city's Engagement Center.
