Medford has authorized a court effort to acquire The Loring, a former wildfire shelter on Biddle Road where water damage, fires and unauthorized occupancy have persisted despite fines and repeated attempts to secure the building.
The City Council voted October 7 to permit eminent domain proceedings against the privately owned property and committed $67,000 to an initial 90 days of security. The action places the city in position to seek ownership through the courts while pursuing a private sale that could avert a municipal acquisition.
Formerly the Ramada Inn, the property at 2250–2260 Biddle Road was purchased by Fortify Holdings in 2021 and converted into emergency housing for wildfire survivors. Water leaks in 2023 and 2024 later rendered it uninhabitable, according to city officials…