North Bergen published a list last month targeting 17 abandoned properties scattered throughout the township, telling the owners through ads and notices to clean up. If they failed to do so, according to Township Administrator Chris Pianese, the town may perform the work and charge a fine. If an owner fails to pay the fine, the town may be able to take ownership.
Pianese said that the properties run from Ninth Street to 85th Street and are on notable North Bergen streets such as Bergenline Avenue, Kennedy Blvd., and Paterson Plank Road. Only one owner had responded by time of publication.
The effort was boosted by an ordinance adopted last May. Phil Swibinski, town spokesman, said that the ordinance was modeled after those of other towns such as Teaneck, that had succesfully handled the issue. Titled the “Abandoned Properties Rehabilitation Ordinance,” the measure was put forth to avoid lengthy and expensive court proceedings.
The measure spells out the process of dealing with abandoned properties, including allowing the town to do cleanup.
“These properties are a problem because they’re an eyesore,” said Swibinski. “They can attract homeless drifters, [and] they can lower property values for surrounding areas.”
“The last thing you want is a house that is abandoned and an eyesore in the middle of your nice residential neighborhood,” said Pianese.
The properties are currently boarded-up to prevent squatting – people illegally inhabiting abandoned buildings – or other illegal activities.
“It’s a quality of life issue. We’re trying to clean up the neighborhoods.” – Chris Pianese
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The process
Pianese said that the abandoned property list was selected through a process that took roughly a year.
“It took us that long to really do our due diligence,” said Pianese. “A lot of work went into this.”
Each property was chosen based on a number of criteria, including:
-Has to have been without occupants for at least six months
-Is in need of rehabilitation
-Was determined to be a nuisance
-Is unfit for human habitation
-Could increase the risk of fire to adjacent properties.
Pianese also said that the town first appointed a public building official, who, with the help of a committee, compiled a list of properties after visiting each one.
“That’s how we came up with the first 33 [properties],” said Pianese, who added that after further examination and analysis, the first published list included 17.
After identifying the properties, Swibinski said, town officials ran an advertisement to notify the owners to do the necessary work.
Pianese said that the owners were given 40 days from the initial notice to respond. They can also submit a request for an appeal.
“If nothing happens,” Swibinski said, “the township is essentially able to do the renovation work on it themselves.”
If fines are not paid and the town takes ownership, the town can sell the property to recover the cost of rehabilitation work.
“We’re hoping that the owners comply and rehabilitate the properties,” said Pianese. “In the event they don’t, the township is very eager to pursue rehabilitating it on our own.”
Stephen LaMarca may be reached at slamarca@hudsonreporter.com.