The Township of Franklin adopted Ordinance 4393-23 and went in effect on March 26, 2023, amending Chapter 183, entitled “Property Maintenance” of the “Revised General Ordinances of the Township of Franklin, New Jersey” with the addition of a new Article XII, Registration and Maintenance of Vacant and Abandoned Residential Properties in Foreclosure, which establishes standards for the registration and maintenance of vacant and abandoned residential properties.  While we encourage you to review the Ordinance and/or Article XII in their entirety.

There are 3 primary results of this ordinance that may require action on your part:

1. A Creditor filing a summons and complaint in an action to foreclose on a Vacant and Abandoned property, or a Creditor who has previously filed a summons and complaint to foreclose on a residential property, which subsequently becomes Vacant and Abandoned, shall within thirty (30) calendar days after the building becomes vacant and abandoned. or within thirty (30) calendar days after assuming ownership of the Vacant & Abandoned property, whichever is later; or within ten (10) calendar days of receipt of notice from the Township, and annually thereafter, file a registration statement for such Vacant & Abandoned property with the municipal clerk on forms provided by the Township for such purposes.

Each Vacant and Abandoned property having a separate block and lot number as designated in the official tax maps of the Township shall be registered separately.

The registration statement shall include the name, street address, telephone number and e-mail address (if applicable) of a person twenty-one (21) years or older, designated by the Creditor as the authorized agent for receiving notices of code violations and for receiving process in any court proceeding or administrative enforcement proceeding on behalf of such Creditor in connection with the enforcement of any applicable code.

The registrations shall include the name, street address, telephone number and e-mail address (if applicable) of the firm and the actual name(s) of the firm’s individual principal(s) responsible for maintaining the Abandoned & Vacant property.  The individual or representative of the firm responsible for maintaining the Abandoned and Vacant property shall be available by telephone or in person on a twenty-four-hour per day, seven-day per week basis.  The two entities may be the same or different persons.  Both entities shown on the statement must maintain offices in New Jersey or reside within New Jersey. 

1) $500 per property annually for any property that is required to be registered because a summons and complaint in an action to foreclose was filed by the creditor; and

(2) an additional $2,000 per property annually if the property is vacant or abandoned pursuant to the definition in the ordinance when the summons and complaint in an action to foreclose is filed, or becomes vacant and abandoned pursuant to the definition in the ordinance at any time thereafter while the property is in foreclosure. 

1. Creditors found to be in violation of the provisions of Ordinance 4393-23 shall be subject to a fine of $2,000 for non-registration, and from $1,500 to $2,500 for each day of violation. 

Please submit the registration form & $500.00 fee for each Vacant and Abandoned property having a separate block and lot number to the Township of Franklin Tax Collector, 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset, NJ 08873 no later than June 30th of the current year.