The borough solicitor told the council on Sept. 11 that the solicitor’s office has been working through abatement claims and organizing progress on problematic properties, and said Attorney Deanna Williams from the solicitor’s office has been “pivotal” to those efforts. The solicitor said one property on Fern Street is now bank‑owned and that the borough is discussing “strategies moving forward and roles and responsibilities, regarding a likely demolition of the property.”

The solicitor noted an additional property on Church Lane has been condemned by the code director but is not yet at the demolition stage. “We've been in efforts with the insurance company and the homeowner, but it is not at that stage just yet,” the solicitor said of the Church Lane property. The solicitor said the borough is awaiting some remaining abatements coming in before finalizing totals and promised updates for council as matters progress.

Why this matters: Demolition and abatement of blighted properties affect public safety, neighborhood conditions and borough budgets. The solicitor framed the update as ongoing legal and administrative work rather than completed actions.

Details and next steps: The solicitor said a code enforcement meeting about a problematic property is scheduled for the next day, and the office will continue to monitor litigation and status conferences with opposing counsel and court administration. No formal demolition order or council vote was recorded at the Sept. 11 caucus; the solicitor described planning and strategy work and said further updates will be provided when available.

Limitations: The solicitor did not provide a demolition timeline, cost estimates or the specific street numbers for the Fern Street property beyond confirming it is bank‑owned. When asked whether the Church Lane property was the one under discussion, the solicitor clarified that the referenced demolition concern was for Fern Street, not Church Lane.