[HISTORY: Derived from Ch. 5, Art. II, of the 1971 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Township Council shall, by resolution, appoint five persons, who are residents of the Township, who shall be designated as the Public Officers to exercise the powers prescribed by this section. Approval of at least three of such persons shall be required in any actions taken under this section.
In addition to the powers and duties heretofore granted to the Public Officers, they shall:
A. 
Investigate the buildings and conditions of the Township in order to determine which buildings therein are unfit for human habitation, occupancy or use;
B. 
Administer oaths and affirmations, examine witnesses and receive evidence;
C. 
Enter upon premises for the purpose of making examination; provided, that such entry shall be made in such manner as to cause the least possible inconvenience to persons in possession;
D. 
Have such powers as may be necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this section and of N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.3 to 40:48-2.12.
The Public Officers may determine that a building is unfit for human habitation, occupancy or use, if they find that conditions existing in such building are dangerous or injurious to the health or safety of the occupants of such building, the occupants of neighboring buildings, or other residents of the Township. Such conditions may include, but shall not be limited to, defects increasing the hazards of fire, accident or other calamities; lack of adequate ventilation, light or sanitary facilities; dilapidation; disrepair; structural defects and uncleanliness. The Public Officers, in reaching such determination, shall be guided by, among other things, the standards set by the State Uniform Construction Code, Zoning Ordinance, health ordinances and Uniform Fire Safety Act of the Township and by the pertinent requirements of Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Whenever a petition is filed with the Public Officers by any officer who is in charge of any Department or branch of the government of the Township, the County or of the State, relating to health, fire, building regulations or to other activities concerning buildings within the Township, or whenever a petition is filed with the public officers by at least five residents of the Township charging that any building is unfit for human habitation, occupancy or use; or whenever it appears to the Public Officers or on the motion of a majority of them that any building is unfit for human habitation, occupancy or use, the Public Officers shall, if their preliminary investigations disclose the basis for such charges, issue and cause to be served upon the owner of and parties in interest in such building, a complaint stating the charges in that respect and containing a notice that a hearing will be held before the Public Officers, or their designated agents, at a place therein fixed not less than 10 days or more than 30 days after service of the complaint; that the owner and parties in interest shall be given the right to file an answer to the complaint and to appear in person, or otherwise to give testimony at the time and place fixed in the complaint; and that the rules of evidence prevailing in courts of law or equity shall not be controlling in hearings before the Public Officers. If, after such notice and hearing, the Public Officers determine that the building in consideration is unfit for human habitation, occupancy or use, they shall state in writing their findings and facts in support of such determination, and shall issue and cause to be served upon the owner thereof and parties in interest, an order:
A. 
Requiring the owner to repair, alter or improve the building, to the extent specified in the order, to render it fit for human habitation, occupancy or use, if such repair, alteration or improvement can be made at a reasonable cost in the opinion of the Public Officers, or, at the option of the owner, to vacate and close the building as unfit for human habitation, occupancy or use;
B. 
Requiring the owner to remove or demolish such building within the time specified in the order if such building cannot be rendered fit for human habitation, occupancy or use at a cost deemed to be reasonable in the opinion of the public officers.
The complaint and orders issued by the Public Officers pursuant to this section shall be served upon the persons either personally or by registered mail, if their whereabouts are known, but if the whereabouts of such persons are unknown and the same cannot be ascertained by the Public Officers in the exercise of reasonable diligence, and the Public Officers shall make an affidavit to that effect, then the service of such complaint or order upon such persons may be made by the publication of same once each week for two successive weeks in a newspaper published in the County and circulating in the Township. A copy of such complaint or order shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises affected by such complaint or order. A copy of such complaint or order shall be duly recorded or lodged for record with the County Clerk.
If the owner fails to comply with an order to repair, alter or improve, or at the option of the owner, to vacate and close the building, the Public Officers may cause such building to be repaired, altered or improved, or to be vacated and closed. The Public Officers may cause to be posted on the main entrance of any building the following words: "This building is unfit for human habitation, occupancy or use; human habitation, occupancy or use of this building is prohibited and unlawful."
If the owner fails to comply with an order to remove or demolish the building, the Public Officers may cause such building to be removed or demolished.
In the event that the Public Officers cause such buildings to be repaired, altered, improved, vacated, closed, removed or demolished, the cost of such repairs, alterations or improvements, or vacating, closing or removal and demolition, shall be a municipal lien against the real property upon which the cost was incurred. If the building is removed or demolished by the Public Officers, they shall sell the materials of such building and shall credit the proceeds of such sale against the cost of the removal or demolition, and any balance remaining shall be deposited in the superior court by the Public Officers and shall be secured in such manner as may be directed by such court, and shall be disbursed by such court to the persons found to be entitled thereto in the final order or judgment of such court.
The Township Council may by resolution from time to time appoint and fix the duties of such other officers, agents and employees as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section and to authorize the Public Officers, with the consent of the Township Council, to delegate any of their functions and powers under this section to such officers and agents.