Similar to programs in Cherry Hill and Pleasantville, Middle Township voted March 6 to enact a crackdown on abandoned houses with a focus on over 300 foreclosed properties. This crackdown will include a registration fee for owners and banks, and it will require maintenance of grass, trash removal, boarded windows, etc. Preservation of property values for neighboring properties is one objective, and community safety to prevent drug hangouts and vandalism is another goal. I hope Dennis Township officials closely monitor this new program and enact it here for the same reasons.
Moderator's Note: According to a Herald article Oct. 9, 2016, Dennis Township Committee approved an ordinance addressing abandoned and nuisance properties at its Oct. 4, 2016 meeting. See story here: https://goo.gl/Y9Neqw.