BERKELEY – After years of neglect, some old houses are being demolished by the township.
Abandoned homes pop up in conversation at Township Council meetings from time to time. Neighbors and government officials feel they are an eyesore. Worse, they are a health issue. Derelict homes breed rats and other pests, and standing water on the property breeds mosquitoes. They also tend to attract young people looking for a hidden place to drink or do drugs. So, there could be teenagers hanging out inside a house that is structurally unsound and could come down at any moment.
Some of the homes were destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. The owners walked away from the property. Others were abandoned for other reasons.
Berkeley has already taken some of them down. Others are in the process. There are another half dozen properties that will be on the list in the next four months or so.
The list of properties being destroyed is as follows:
- 123 Third Ave. in Manitou Park (this is next door to the old school)
- 230 Second Ave. in Manitou Park
- 28 Dorrance Ave. near Good Luck Point
- 47 Dorrance Ave. near Good Luck Point
- 216 Evergreen Dr., a lagoon property off Bayview Avenue
- 2112 S. Bayview Ave. in Holly Park, at the end of Bay Boulevard
- 2100 Bay View Avenue in South Seaside Park
Business administrator John Camera said that the neighbors have been really supportive when staff come to take the buildings down.
The work is being done in-house by the township’s Public Works Department. The town will then place a lien on the property for the cost of the demolition and clean-up.
Camera said that any residents who want the town to look into a possible abandoned home should call public works at 732-349-4616 or the administrative office at 732-244-7400.
