Council updates on ‘zombie’ houses, enforcement hurdles; zoning board appointments advanced

Township officials updated the council on multiple vacant and poorly maintained properties—commonly called “zombie” or abandoned houses—and described enforcement challenges after a Feb. 3 report from code enforcement and the tax office.

Township Administrator Mark DeCarlo reviewed the town’s recent three‑year history of code enforcement actions at several addresses. For 433 Chestnut Street, summonses were issued in June 2022 and February 2023 but were returned to the township; Safeguard Properties performed maintenance in 2023 but would not disclose who contracted them. A planned sheriff’s tax sale did not occur, the administrator said, and the tax collector’s office confirmed online payments for the first through third quarters of 2024 while the fourth quarter remained unpaid. DeCarlo said the township has been unable to identify a responsible party and has forwarded information to the township attorney to try to locate counsel for the foreclosing bank.

Other properties reported: 683 Vanburg Avenue (summons issued, owner paid and home demolished); 450 Pascack Road (summons issued and court action pending; municipal purchase of the parcel is under discussion); 680 McKinley Avenue (summons issued and paid; property sold and now vacant with a final notice pending); 101 Pascack Road (summons dismissed by court; property cleaned); three properties at 664–674 Pascack Road (summons issued and houses demolished); and 182 Sussex Avenue (vacant; zoning permit under review and owner/architect say construction is imminent).

DeCarlo said Department of Public Works performed two to three maintenance visits in 2024 at some of the addresses to mow lawns and maintain basic safety but the town prefers to identify an owner who will take responsibility. Council members asked whether liens and other tools had been considered; DeCarlo said for some properties the cost of action may not be fiscally justified and that the difficulty lies in locating a responsible party, not in the legal authority to act. He said the township attorney is following up with an attorney’s office that had been associated with a prior sheriff’s sale filing.

Separately, the council held votes on zoning board appointments. The council appointed Diane Grimaldi to a full term on the zoning board; Jason Rivera was appointed as Alternate No. 1 to an unexpired term; an attempted appointment of Mary Anne Hausman as Alternate No. 2 failed to carry after a recorded vote did not produce a majority.

Council members asked that staff continue tracking these properties and report back with next steps to secure ownership information and pursue enforcement or acquisition where appropriate.