Property Records
Dear Jefferson Township,
This is a request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form. Please acknowledge receipt of this message, and thank you for your consideration of the following matter.
Public records requested:
1. Addresses of all residential properties (Property Class 2) that are marked as vacant and/or abandoned
2. Addresses of all residential properties (Property Class 2) that are marked as condemned
3. Addresses of all residential properties (Property Class 2) that have had a notice of abatement issued, specifically from 1/1/2022 to the present day
4. Addresses of all residential properties (Property Class 2) that are fire damaged, specifically from 1/1/2022 to the present day
5. Addresses of all residential properties with delinquent property taxes, specifically for the past 2 quarters
6. Addresses of all residential properties with delinquent water and sewer bills, specifically for the past 2 quarters
7. Addresses of all residential properties with an active municipal owned lien
8. Addresses of all residential properties that have had a code enforcement compliant opened for high grass and/or junk/debris, specifically from 1/1/2022 to the present day
You may redact all confidential and personal information under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1, but I am requesting the addressees of such properties. I am requesting the above public records in electronic form, preferably in Excel format.
Yours faithfully,
Omar
To Whom it May Concern:
The Jefferson Township Clerk’s Office received your Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request.
Response:Please note that OPRA is a request for specifically identifiable documents and that requests for “information” or “any/all” is not a proper request. A proper request under OPRA must identify with reasonable clarity those documents that are desired, and a party cannot satisfy this requirement by simply requesting all of an agency's documents. See Bent v. Stafford Police Department, 381 N.J.Super. 30, 37 (App. Div. 2005). Custodians are not required to conduct research or create new records in response to an OPRA request.
Please see attached records.
There are no documents responsive to your request for the following:
Addresses of all residential properties (Property Class 2) that are marked as condemned
Addresses of all residential properties (Property Class 2) that have had a notice of abatement issued, specifically from 1/1/2022 to the present day
Addresses of all residential properties (Property Class 2) that are fire damaged, specifically from 1/1/2022 to the present day
Addresses of all residential properties that have had a code enforcement compliant opened for high grass and/or junk/debris, specifically from 1/1/2022 to the present day
If your request for access to a government record has been denied or unfilled within the seven (7) business days required by law, you have a right to challenge the decision by the Township of Jefferson to deny access. At your option, you may either institute a proceeding in the Superior Court of New Jersey or file a complaint with the Government Records Council (GRC) by completing the Denial of Access Complaint Form. You may contact the GRC by toll-free telephone at 866-850-0511, by mail at P.O. Box 819, Trenton, NJ, 08625, by e-mail at [email address], or at their web site at www.state.nj.us/grc. The GRC can also answer other questions about the law. All questions regarding complaints filed in Superior Court should be directed to the Court Clerk in your County.
If you have any questions, please contact me either via email at [email address] or by telephone at 973-208-6132.
Best Regards,
Amanda L. Nevins, RMC, CMR
Jefferson Township Deputy Clerk
973-208-6132