Clifton, NJ Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Complaint trigger
- 5+ residents, a public authority, or officer's own motion
- Hearing notice
- 10-30 days after complaint served (§ 273-3)
- Remedy options
- Repair, or vacate and close, or demolish
- Cost recovery
- Municipal lien against the property (§ 273-6)
- Appeal window
- 60 days to contest lien in Superior Court
Summary
When Clifton's public officer finds after notice and hearing that a building is unfit for human habitation, § 273-4 lets the City order the owner to repair it or vacate and close it, and to demolish it if it is dangerous and the owner will not fix it. The City's costs, if it does the work itself, become a lien on the property.
If, after such notice and hearing, the public officer determines that the building under consideration is unfit for human habitation or occupancy or use, he shall state, in writing, his findings of fact in support of such determination and shall issue and cause to be served upon the owner thereof and parties in interest, in the manner provided in § 273-24, an order requiring: (1) The repair, alteration or improvement of said building to be made by the owner, within a reasonable time, which time shall be set forth in the order or at the option of the owner to vacate or have said building vacated and closed within the time set forth in the order; and (2) If the building is in such a condition as to make it dangerous to the health and safety of persons on or near the premises and the owner fails to repair, alter or improve said building within the time specified in the order, that the owner remove or demolish said building within a reasonable time as specified in said order of removal.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4963532; v64 updated 2026-07-21; through 07-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
Under § 273-3, a blight case starts when a public authority or 'at least five residents of the City' petition the public officer, or the officer acts on his own motion; the officer investigates and, if warranted, serves the owner and parties in interest with a complaint and a hearing notice set 10 to 30 days out. If, after the hearing, the officer determines under § 273-4A that the building 'is unfit for human habitation or occupancy or use,' he must issue written findings and an order requiring the owner either to repair, alter or improve the building within a set time, or, at the owner's option, to vacate and close it.
If the condition is dangerous to health and safety and the owner does not comply, the order can direct the owner to remove or demolish the building. Section 273-4B separately lets the officer order the utility to cut electric service if the wiring is defective and unsafe until it meets the 1968 National Electrical Code. Under § 273-5, if the owner still does not comply, the City itself may repair, vacate, close, remove or demolish the building, posting a placard declaring the use or occupation unlawful.
Section 273-6 makes the City's costs, net of any salvage proceeds, a municipal lien against the property, with the owner able to contest the amount in Superior Court within 60 days of the lien filing.
Violations & Fines
The unfitness process carries no separate fine schedule of its own; its remedy is the corrective order under § 273-4 and the municipal lien under § 273-6 for the City's repair, closure, removal or demolition costs. An owner or party in interest aggrieved by the public officer's decision may seek judicial relief under § 273-7.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a blight complaint get started in Clifton?
What can the City order if a building is declared unfit?
Who pays if the City has to fix or tear down the building?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clifton
Compare Clifton to another location·View the New Jersey property maintenance overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Property Blight in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Passaic County handle property blight.