Former Red Sox Great Mo Vaughn Having Success Improving Run-Down Housing

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Aug 3, 2010

There was once a time when it was thought that maybe Mo Vaughn would some day be a Hall of Famer. But unfortunately for Vaughn, he fell on some bad luck — literally — and injuries derailed his career.

Nowadays though, Vaughn is helping to give back in a way to those who've also fallen on hard times and bad luck. Instead of doing it through baseball, the former AL MVP is doing it through real estate.

A recent New York Times article reports that the "Hit Dog" is now part of a real estate company that buys run-down properties in inner city neighborhoods, fixes them up and makes them livable again.

To put it into some perspective, the article describes one of the re-done properties as a place "where drug dealers openly sold their own brand of heroin, guarded by pit bulls whose food was laced with gunpowder."

During his 12-year career with the Red Sox, Angels and Mets, he was also known as a nice guy who gave back to the community. That same willingness to help out others is apparently still there for Vaughn.

In addition to being able to give back, Vaughn is also doing pretty well for himself financially with his newest business venture.

“Is he a big deal in New York real estate? He’s becoming a big deal,” said Harold Shultz, who is with the research group Citizens Housing and Planning Council. "It is unusual to have someone famous; usually this field is small operations."

Of course, anyone who watched Vaughn play –especially during his prime with the Red Sox– knows there's nothing small in regards to Vaughn's abilities and ambitions.

The article claims that the Vaughn's company, Omni New York, LLC is "on its way to becoming a major player in the low-income housing world."

The six-year-old company has already acquired more than 4,000 apartments in some of the poorest neighborhoods in New York. They have bought and rehabilitated properties in three states worth $503 million.

Vaughn's success in the real estate business should come as no surprise to fans in Boston who saw him succeed on the field and give back off of it for the seven years he was with the Red Sox.

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