JACKSON, N.J. — Jackson Township is preparing to take control of 129 properties tied to more than $14.2 million in unpaid taxes, but as the aggressive foreclosure plan moves forward, a series of critical unanswered questions is emerging about cost, responsibility, and what happens next.
Mayor Jennifer Kuhn, a licensed real estate broker, announced the township will pursue in rem foreclosure proceedings, giving many property owners just 14 days to respond before legal action begins. While officials frame the move as long-overdue accountability, the scale of the action raises uncertainty about whether the township is prepared for what follows.
Kuhn specializes in foreclosures and resales in her business, JLK Realty, a source of contention in the past between herself and residents with concerns about transparency and real estate transactions conducted while she has been an elected official.
“After a thorough and comprehensive review, our administration has identified approximately 129 properties with long-standing unpaid taxes totaling $14,238,677.23, some dating back nearly 40 years. This is unacceptable. Quite simply, Jackson residents deserve better. You deserve fairness, accountability, and a tax system that works for everyone not one where the burden falls on those who pay on time,” the appointed mayor said. “Let me be clear: we are taking action. We are immediately implementing a structured and aggressive process to recover these funds and return these properties to productive use.”
Many of the properties identified have also been listed in previous municipal tax sale auctions. The results of those auctions are unknown as the official township tax auction website was offline at the time of the mayor’s statement.
Jackson Business Administrator Charles Terenfenko has not commented publicly on the mayor’s controversial plan. This week, sources say that the newly appointed business administrator who also serves as the public safety director, with an annual salary of over $300,000 with a township vehicle, is seeking to abandon ship. That rumor has not yet been confirmed.
Give us your property or else, in 14 days
The mayor introduced an even more controversial plan to collect the alleged debts, give us your land in 14 days.
The Township will send letters via both certified and regular mail to the owners of approximately 100 affected lots, offering a Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure, with a strict 14-day response period. A public notice of this opportunity will be published in the newspaper to ensure full transparency, a term often used by the appointed mayor.
“Information will also be posted on the Township website, including a list of properties, and we are asking the public to come forward with any relevant information,” she said.
“At the next Council meeting, we will introduce a resolution authorizing In Rem Tax Foreclosure proceedings on these properties,” she said. “Within 14 days of sending the initial letters, the Township will begin foreclosure actions on the first group of approximately 10 properties, with additional actions to follow.”
Residents concerned about risks
The plan leaves many questions unanswered leaving residents online questioning whether or not this will be a benefit or a curse for the township, fueling fears that the properties will be sold in foreclosure auctions to developers, investors, and migrant slum lords who will rent out the homes to multiple migrant families.
The biggest unknown: what will this actually cost?
Foreclosing on more than 100 properties is not just an administrative step—it is a legal process that can carry significant costs.
Each foreclosure case may require:
- Court filings
- Legal representation
- Title work and documentation
- Potential challenges or appeals
The township has not publicly estimated the total legal cost of pursuing these actions. With dozens of cases, expenses could quickly climb into the hundreds of thousands—or more—before any property is recovered.
After foreclosure, then what?
If Jackson successfully seizes the properties, the township becomes responsible for them. That opens a new set of unanswered questions:
- Who maintains the properties?
- Who pays for upkeep, repairs, or demolition if needed?
- What happens if properties are occupied?
- Will the township be responsible for evictions?
Some properties may be vacant land, but others could involve structures, tenants, or safety concerns.
Environmental and liability risks
Another major unknown is environmental exposure.
Properties—especially long-neglected or commercially used parcels—could carry:
- Contamination issues
- Code violations
- Structural hazards
If the township takes ownership, it may also assume responsibility for remediation, which can be costly and time-consuming.
Officials have not detailed whether environmental assessments have been conducted or budgeted for.
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Key Points
• Jackson targeting 129 properties over $14.2M in unpaid taxes
• Township has not disclosed cost of pursuing mass foreclosure actions
• Questions remain about maintenance, liability, and resale of seized properties
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Will Jackson become a property manager or a muncipal real estate agency?
Once properties are seized, the township must decide what to do with them.
Key questions include:
- Will Jackson resell the properties?
- How quickly can they be returned to the tax rolls?
- Who manages existing leases or rental agreements?
- Will they be turned into open space?
- How will they be managed?
Handling dozens of properties at once could effectively place the township in the role of a temporary real estate operator, something municipalities typically try to avoid at scale.
Some debts are small—but still face foreclosure
Records show that not all properties on the list involve massive debts. In some cases, relatively small original tax bills have grown over time due to interest and penalties.
Despite the variation, all listed properties are subject to the same foreclosure mechanism.
That raises additional concerns about:
- proportional enforcement
- whether alternatives were explored
- and how quickly cases are being pushed forward
Developer scrutiny adds another layer
Mayor Kuhn has also publicly called out Cardinale Enterprises, signaling that developers may face increased scrutiny as part of the broader enforcement effort.
However, the township has not clarified:
- which properties are tied to developers versus individuals
- whether different strategies will be used
- or how complex ownership structures will be handled
Financial pressure vs. long-term risk
The foreclosure push comes as Jackson faces budget pressure and seeks to recover lost revenue. After Township Councilman Chris Pollak noted that township spending is up 32% in the first quarter over last year, the township needs a cash influx. Records show the township allegedly spent $3 million on snow removal, in addition to hiring eight new police officers, with no budget.
It is feared the the administration is dipping into cash reserves, which were at $8 million under former Mayor Michael Reina. Others accuse the township of funding budget gaps with the Open Space fund, which the township continues to claim it is doing in a legal manner.
The longterm financial impact is unknown and the township has few answers when it comes to the budget. But critics and observers point to a central tension:
Recovering unpaid taxes may generate revenue—but owning and managing distressed properties could create new costs and liabilities.
What residents still don’t know
As the township moves forward, several key questions remain unanswered:
- Total projected legal cost of foreclosure proceedings
- Estimated cost of maintaining seized properties
- Plan for handling tenants, evictions, or occupied homes
- Strategy for resale or redevelopment
- Responsibility for environmental cleanup
- Timeline for returning properties to the tax rolls
What happens next
The township is expected to formally authorize foreclosure proceedings at an upcoming council meeting, with initial cases beginning shortly after notices are sent.
For now, the plan is moving forward—but the full financial and operational impact on Jackson Township remains unclear.