ALLENTOWN – The Borough Council has taken two new actions in its ongoing effort to clean up vacant and abandoned properties in Allentown.
During a meeting on March 12, council members passed a resolution authorizing the issuance of a request for proposals from qualified rehabilitation entities interested in renovating vacant and abandoned properties in Allentown.
The resolution states that “for several years, the borough has been undertaking enforcement actions against vacant buildings that were abandoned by their owners and are in a state of disrepair and neglect, (because) by virtue of their condition and their proximity to other buildings, are diminishing the value of neighboring properties and have a negative effect on the quality of life of adjacent residents and property owners, increasing the risk of property damage through arson and vandalism and discouraging neighborhood stability and revitalization.”
According to the resolution, “many of these buildings, or the land on which they are situated, can be used for productive purposes, which will further the revitalization of the borough and improve its economic and social condition.”
Council members said they have successfully addressed three of the six vacant and abandoned properties that existed as of July 1, 2016, but said two additional properties have since been abandoned by their owners as of March 12.
The council members said they have “exhausted all potential code enforcement, municipal court, administrative, budgetary and legal means to address the vacant and abandoned properties that remain … except for filing Superior Court legal process under the New Jersey Abandoned Property Rehabilitation Act to obtain possession and control of (those) properties for renovation and auction.”
Allentown “lacks the financial means at this time to take possession and control of the remaining vacant and abandoned properties and to renovate and rehabilitate them on its own” and because of that officials are seeking qualified rehabilitation entities to act on the borough’s behalf to take possession and control of and to rehabilitate the remaining vacant and abandoned properties.
A qualified rehabilitation entity will be selected to act as Allentown’s designee to take Superior Court legal action, with the assistance of the borough attorney, to address the remaining vacant and abandoned properties.
Borough Attorney Greg Cannon said private investors are being sought to take on the task of rehabilitating the vacant and abandoned properties. He said a contractor would be able to make up to an 18 percent return on his investment under the terms of the program Allentown officials are planning to implement.
In a second action, the council members passed a resolution supporting a bill in the state Senate (S-3482) which, if passed in the Legislature and signed into law by the governor, would permit municipalities to register vacant and abandoned properties and to use registration fees to maintain those properties.
The Senate bill is a companion bill to Assembly bill 4610.
The resolution states that Allentown officials have adopted a vacant and abandoned property ordinance and property list with registration fees to aid in the cleanup of those properties to improve property values and public safety, and that municipal officials would like to use the registration fees and adopt additional fines when necessary to maintain properties as needed.
Council members said the proposed bill would be beneficial to Allentown and said they support the passage of S-3482.