AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE COMMISSIONER OF CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE TO CONVEY CERTAIN LAND IN THE TOWN OF AGAWAM.
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to provide forthwith for the conveyance of land in the town of Agawam for veterans housing, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows:
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding sections 40E to 40J, inclusive, of chapter 7 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the commissioner of capital asset management and maintenance may convey in fee simple a certain parcel of land and any improvements and structures located thereon formerly known as the Western Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Center located at 702 South Westfield street in the town of Agawam, consisting of approximately 6.9 acres of land, to United Veterans of America, Inc. d/b/a Soldier On, or its affiliates, for the purpose of constructing limited equity cooperative housing for homeless veterans and providing services related thereto; provided, however, that before the conveyance, United Veterans of America, Inc. d/b/a Soldier On, or its affiliates shall enter into a historical covenant agreement with the Massachusetts Historical Commission which shall be filed with the registry of deeds and run with the land in perpetuity. Use and maintenance of the parcel shall be subject to the restrictions and provisions of the historical covenant. The exact boundaries of the parcel shall be determined by the commissioner of capital asset management and maintenance after the completion of a land survey. The consideration for the conveyance shall be $1. This parcel shall be conveyed by deed without warranties or representations by the commonwealth.
SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, United Veterans of America, Inc. d/b/a Soldier On, or its affiliates, shall be responsible for all costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, costs associated with any engineering, appraisals, surveys and deed preparation related to the conveyance authorized under this act as such costs may be determined by the commissioner of capital asset management and maintenance.
SECTION 3. The deed or other instrument conveying the property described in section 1 to United Veterans of America, Inc. d/b/a Soldier On, or its affiliates, shall provide, without limitation, that if for any reason the property ceases to be used solely for the purposes described in section 1, then following a written notice and an opportunity to cure in accordance with a procedure to be specified in the deed conveying the property and upon the recording of a notice by the commissioner with the Hampden county registry of deeds, title to the property shall revert to the commonwealth under the care and control of the division of capital asset management and maintenance and any further disposition shall be subject to sections 40E to 40J, inclusive, of chapter 7 of the General Laws.
Approved July 31, 2010