In Balvi, efforts are being made to find a solution regarding the servants' house of the Balvi estate, known as the Green House. The municipality has proposed that apartment owners donate their properties to the local government so that it can secure a majority vote when making decisions about the future of the building. Currently, the house contains 28 apartments. Only six of them are owned by the municipality, while the remaining 22 are privately owned. Due to the large number of owners, making any significant decision regarding the maintenance, repair, or reconstruction of the building is extremely difficult. The municipality emphasizes that the goal of the initiative is not to formally gain control over the property but to enable prompt decision-making regarding the further use of this hazardous facility. According to local government representatives, if the municipality can obtain more than half of the owners' votes, it will be easier to organize a technical inspection of the building, carry out conservation, reconstruction, or make a decision about another option for its future. In fact, the authorities are trying to overcome the problem of fragmented ownership, which currently hinders even the initiation of work to save or restructure the historic building. The situation is further complicated by legal issues. Various encumbrances are registered on some of the apartments, and some owners have passed away, with their inheritance cases still not opened. Therefore, the possibility of transferring the housing to the municipality will have to be considered separately in each specific case. In recent years, the building has housed representatives of socially vulnerable groups. This has led to several fires, which have further deteriorated the technical condition of the house and heightened safety concerns. After an inspection, the Balvi District Construction Administration prohibited the use of the building starting July 31. All residents were required to vacate the premises, and owners were instructed to prevent any unauthorized access. According to experts, the facility needs either major restoration or demolition. The municipality notes that the main question now is not the preservation of the building at all costs but finding the safest and most economically justified solution. Among the most valuable historical parts of the complex is the ancient underground cellar, the possibility of preserving which is planned to be considered separately. The servants' house is part of the Balvi estate complex, which has the status of a regional cultural monument. Over the years, it has changed owners and purposes multiple times, undergone several reconstructions, and survived more than one fire. Despite the loss of many architectural details, the building is still considered an important part of the historical ensemble.
