A Dorchester resident asked the council to create a dedicated fund or permanent vehicle to help low-income seniors repair long‑owned homes that are not eligible for existing 0% city loans because the properties are held in trusts.

Lisa Spagnolo described her mother’s house of 50 years, said the property needs substantial repairs including roof and exterior cladding, and said insurance companies will not insure the home while it is in severe disrepair. Spagnolo said the city’s $50,000 0% loan program is unavailable to homeowners when the property title is in a trust. “I know that she is not the only senior in the city of Boston in this position,” Spagnolo said, and proposed allocating $1,000,000 to a fund that could be used for grants or 0% loans to cover repairs for seniors with homes in trusts.

Councilors thanked Spagnolo for raising the issue and said the testimony would be included in the FY26 budget record for further review; no budget action was taken at the hearing.