Mayor Cory A. Booker, the Newark Municipal Council, Deputy Mayor for Economic and Housing Development Stefan Pryor, and Director of Housing and Real Estate Michael Meyer announced today that the City of Newark will start requiring owners of vacant residential properties that are not habitable to register with the City, and to maintain and secure vacant properties. Failure to do so will lead to Municipal Court action and fines under the newly-passed Vacant Property Ordinance. The new ordinance goes into effect on August 1. Property owners will have a month’s grace period to comply with its provisions before the City will start enforcing the ordinance. The grace period will end on August 31.
“Abandoned and neglected properties, if left unaddressed, can create public safety and health concerns for our residents. Externally, their presence falsely exhibits a lack of care and pride in Newark’s communities creating eyesores in our neighborhoods and imposing unfair burdens on neighborhood residents.” said Mayor Booker. “The Vacant Property Ordinance is just one more tool in our toolbox to hold owners of blighting abandoned properties accountable for their actions – and inactions.”
The ordinance mandates an annual registration of all covered vacant residential properties with the City of Newark’s Office of Rent Control. Registration fees for the first year are $500 and increase for each subsequent renewal year, with maximum fees of $5,000. Additionally, owners are required to secure each vacant building from unlawful entry and clearly post property management contact information.
A vacant building defined by the Ordinance is any residential building that is vacant and cannot legally be reoccupied without repair or rehabilitation. Owners of vacant buildings must adhere to the guidelines outlined in the ordinance by Tuesday, August 31, 2011. Failure to comply with the ordinance will result in a Municipal Court fine of no less than $500 and no greater than $1,000 for each recorded violation.
“This ordinance places the burden of maintaining properties where it belongs and allows the City to use its resources more effectively,” said Council Member-at-Large Carlos M. Gonzalez, who introduced the bill along with West Ward Council Member Ronald C. Rice.
Vacant and abandoned buildings create public safety and health hazards and place heavy burdens on the City of Newark. These properties increase the incidents of fires and criminal behavior in neighborhoods.
Deputy Mayor Pryor said: “By passing this ordinance, we are protecting the vitality of our communities and reassuring community residents that City of Newark will not tolerate dilapidated, rundown, vacant buildings.”
Director Meyer added: “This ordinance is about helping to ensure that the City is not held hostage to unknown absentee owners who neglect their properties and negatively impact our neighborhoods, and it lets residents, who live near these vacant buildings, know who is responsible for their condition.”
