NJ family wins fight to save 175-year farm from eminent domain seizure

A struggle to save lots of a 175-year-old household farm in New Jersey is now over after the township and farm house owners reached an settlement to stop half of the land from being transformed into reasonably priced housing initiatives.

“It has been our legacy for 175 years, and all my ancestors have struggled by crises – the home burning down, the Nice Despair – so it is a blessing to have the ability to protect it the way in which we at all times wished to do,” stated Andy Henry, co-owner and supervisor of the Henry household farm, who participated in “Fox & Buddies Weekend” along with his brother Christopher.

In April, the Cranbury Township Committee introduced an reasonably priced housing plan that will permit native officers to take over the Henry household farm by eminent area.

This follows a New Jersey mandate that requires cities within the state to construct greater than 146,000 reasonably priced housing models by 2035, in keeping with NJ.com.

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“The Metropolis of Cranbury was required to construct a sure variety of reasonably priced housing models over the following ten years. As a part of that plan, they chose the Henry Farm to construct roughly 130 reasonably priced housing models. We opposed it, filed a lawsuit and felt it was not an acceptable location for correct use beneath the ability of eminent area,” Timothy Duggan, the household’s legal professional, additionally defined Sunday.

Native media have reported that courtroom paperwork point out the deal will probably be accomplished by the tip of the yr, and finally happened on account of a change in New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Company guidelines permitting using different land in Cranbury.

A household farm in New Jersey was saved after its house owners fought a state-mandated reasonably priced housing plan.

Earlier than the battle formally ended, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins advocated for a halt to the land seizure, posting on X Thursday that excellent news was coming and writing, “Andy, you’re a warrior!”

Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy released a statement On Thursday, he famous that the household farm is “a vital and deeply cherished a part of our state’s story” and thanked the Trump administration for serving to to guard the farm.

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“From the start, I’ve opposed efforts to take the Henry Household Farm by eminent area. Whereas each metropolis in New Jersey should do its half to unravel our state’s reasonably priced housing disaster, these efforts should proceed thoughtfully and collaboratively,” Murphy wrote. “New Jersey will at all times defend its farmers and agricultural lands. And we are going to at all times dwell as much as our repute as a Backyard State.”

The Henry brothers thanked their neighbors for his or her continued help.

“I do know the folks of Cranbury have helped us tremendously,” Christopher stated. “My brother is the supervisor of our farm and he actually deserves a variety of credit score. He was there in April once we received the letter. I do know he is been working with Secretary Rollins and different folks. There’s simply lots of people with a variety of issues who’ve helped us alongside this journey, and we’re very grateful to all of them.”

The Henry household purchased the farm in 1850 and for years rebuffed builders to maintain the property within the household. They primarily increase cattle and sheep, however beforehand additionally raised chickens and goats.

When requested what their favourite a part of the farm is, Christopher stated, “I believe it is simply the sensation of being again there, since Andy and I grew up right here. Only a sense of the historical past and the individuals who lived there, a variety of the pictures that we’ve. You recognize, my mother and pa had been an enormous a part of it, I do know they wished to maintain the factor within the household. It is, I believe, only a sense of historical past and every thing that comes with it.”

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