Governor Healey Signs Norwood Hospital Eminent Domain Law

Six years after the closure of Norwood Hospital, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey on Friday, August 7, has signed legislation to allow the Commonwealth to begin the legal process to take the property of Norwood Hospital out of the hands of Medical Properties Trust (MPT) by eminent domain, and clear the path to potentially reopening the hospital by conveying it to a nonprofit hospital operator.

The legislation, H. 5553, as amended by S.3231, was initially sponsored by Representative John Rogers and Senator Michael Rush, and authorizes the
state’s Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to take Norwood Hospital property from MPT by eminent domain, subject to legislative appropriation, with the intended result that the land be conveyed to a qualified nonprofit hospital operator.

Norwood Hospital has remained closed since a flood in June 2020, when more than 5 inches of rain fell within a short period, destroying and damaging equipment and property.

According to a fact sheet from MPT distributed to media, it has invested more than $350 million to rebuild the hospital and has completed approximately 75% of the project, positioning the hospital for final completion by a qualified operator. MPT estimates that it will take another $150 million to complete clinical construction of the hospital’s interior. MPT has also argued that it should be allowed time to finish construction and find a qualified operator.

MPT states, “While the current negotiation with a prospective operator is not yet final, the Commonwealth can help by assisting MPT with closing the current negotiation or help identify other qualified candidate operators.” It also states, “Once an operator is identified and approved, final construction can commence and be completed as soon as 18 months.”

Negotiations to sell the hospital to a qualified operator have not yet resulted in a completed sale, however. The eminent domain legislation comes after growing impatience with the hospital’s closure over the last six years.

“For too long, our region has paid the price while Steward abandoned this hospital, drove the company into bankruptcy, and walked away, leaving a half-built shell and families with nowhere close to turn in an emergency,” said Senate Majority Whip Michael F. Rush, upon the legislation’s enactment by legislators. 

 “After Steward’s private equity backers cashed out, Medical Properties Trust was left holding this site. Despite years of our best efforts, the owner has stonewalled the sale of the property to a competent provider and bargained with people’s lives," said Sen. Rush.

The expectation had been that the governor would sign the legislation, given the cooperation and communication between the governor's office and local officials. Municipal officials issued statements celebrating the legislation's enactment by the House and Senate.

“This moment reflects years of effort, advocacy and perseverance by so many who believed we could reach this point,” said Norwood General Manager Tony Mazzucco.“This is a testament to the strength, persistence and unity of this community. For years, this effort has asked a great deal of many people. It has required patience in moments of uncertainty, resolve in the face of setbacks, and, above all, a belief that Norwood could see this through,” he said.

“The Legislature has heard from residents of Norwood and the surrounding communities about the urgent need for access to quality health care services,” said House Speaker Ronald Mariano. “After the devastating flood in 2020 and the collapse of Steward Health Care in 2024, families in the region have faced significant challenges accessing the care that they need. It is our hope that an operator can now restore Norwood Hospital and ensure that this community once again has reliable access to quality health care.”

Filed earlier this year, the bill was reviewed by the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight, which held a public hearing to hear from affected residents. The hearing was attended by representatives of Norwood and surrounding communities who spoke about how the closure of Norwood Hospital, a regional healthcare provider, had affected residents.

A new draft of the legislation was amended and passed by the House of Representatives in early July. The Senate passed the bill with an amendment in late July, and sent it back to the House for further consideration. The House concurred with the Senate amendment,and on Friday, July 31, the Massachusetts Legislature announced that H.5553 had been formally enacted.

A previous version of the eminent domain bill, H.5047, was filed in January 2026.

In early 2025, a task force was formed at the direction of Governor Healey, led by Norwood General Manager Tony Mazzucco and including Sen. Rush and Rep. Rogers. It also included town officials, first responders, business owners, and residents from Norwood and across the region.

Norwood Hospital Task Force embarked on a “Finish Norwood Hospital” campaign that included educating the public about the status of the hospital. It circulated a change.org petition to reopen the hospital, which was signed by more than 8,600 people. In an interim report issued in June this year, the task force described how the hospital’s closure had reduced residents’ access to acute care across the region.

According to the report, following the closure of the regional hospital, acute care services became less accessible for many, as indicated by ambulance transport times. Some patients had to be transported past the closed doors of Norwood Hospital to an operating hospital father away.

Additionally, the closure of the hospital eliminated local access to a catheterization lab for major heart attack patients.

The report included the experience of Norwood resident, Mike Connors, who suffered a stroke at home. He was transported by ambulance past the closed Norwood Hospital to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham, and from there, to Boston.

“Our constituencies are eager to regain adequate access to a fully functioning hospital nearby,” said Walpole Select Board Member James O’Neil, Walpole’s representative to the Norwood Hospital Task Force.

For local news you can use, subscribe to Westwood Minute!

You may also be interested in:

- Legislature Approves Norwood Hospital Eminent Domain Bill, Sends It to Gov. Healey

- MA Senate Votes to Authorize State to Acquire Norwood Hospital by Eminent Domain

- State House Advances Emergency Legislation for Norwood Hospital to Senate (Updated)

- Norwood Hospital Task Force Releases Interim Report, Calls on State to Employ Eminent Domain to Bring Back 24-Hour Acute Care Services