Abandoned Homes To Be Razed For Neighborhood Improvement

By: Follow Local News Staff

PAULSBORO, N.J. – Two more abandoned properties are being demolished to help fight blight with the goal of improving neighborhood safety and the borough ultimately putting homes back on the tax rolls.

Through the Housing Initiative Program for Paulsboro (HIPP), the Borough of Paulsboro acquires abandoned properties and vacant lots and Gloucester County, through its Community Development Block Grant Program, demolishes them to make way for new housing.

“Vacant abandoned properties bring down the value of neighborhoods and the entire community,” Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger said in a statement.  “We are proud to be working with Paulsboro on this initiative to eliminate blighted properties and create stronger neighborhoods.” 

Freeholder Heather Simmons, liaison to Housing and Community Development, said that this initiative helps with the health and safety of the community. 

“Vacant and abandoned properties can increase risk to the health and safety of the community and drain municipal resources,” Simmons said.  “Through this initiative we are helping turn liabilities into assets. We have built a state-of-the-art port in Paulsboro and with Amazon and other industries growing in our region, it’s essential to invest in our neighborhoods and help our municipalities with programs that lift themselves up.” 

The homes scheduled for demolition are 125 E. Broad St. and 1545 Swedesboro Ave. They are slated to be razed in one month.  Through this program, the borough has acquired 15 properties and the county will fund the demolition through the Community Development Block Grant program.  Paulsboro plans to sell the properties to developers for construction of new homes with the proceeds going back into the program.



Follow Local News is a Southern New Jersey news and information source that is dedicated to providing current stories related specifically to South Jersey.

Do you have community news or events? Email us at news@snjtoday.com