Township Set to Tackle Abandoned, Vacated Properties

Prior to Tuesday’s Council meeting Mayor Bill Gotto announced that the township is going to be taking a serious look at what he described as deteriorating and abandoned properties.

The council has already taken several steps to look at what to do about vacant, abandoned, and foreclosed properties, the mayor said the issues still remains in many parts of the township. “This is a national economic problem, and together we will address this issue by utilizing additional legal actions against irresponsible property owners,” he said.

In recent months the township has had success removing some of these properties including the old abandoned clock factory on Route 9 as well as some houses along the Route 9 corridor, but Mayor Gotto said there is more work to be done. Part of that effort includes recently adopted ordinances that created a “Municipal Abandoned Property List,” as well as a “Mortgaged Real Property Registration Requirement.” By enacting these ordinances the mayor said the township, “can frame better strategies to deal with abandoned properties.”

Going forward the mayor said they will use resources like code enforcement, property management codes and vacant property registration to further tackle the issue in the township. “We recognize that this is a long-term issue, but expect the passage of these ordinances will provide a lasting foundation for handling this important issue.”

The council will meet at 7:30 on Tuesday night at the new Municipal Building.