Registration
Dwellings vacant for more than a year in the Village of Arden must be registered annually by January 1, and a registration fee paid by January 31. The registration fee begins at $500 for the first year.
If you received a letter in error declaring your property has been vacant for the past year, please send proof of occupancy (see Ordinance 15 section III.B.3) to the Town Secretary, Village of Arden, 2119 The Highway, Arden, DE 19810.
Additionally, a leaseholder has the right to a waiver for a year of the fees under certain conditions such as a leasehold under renovation or a leasehold for sale or lease as specified in Section VII of Ordinance 15 (up to two waivers may be granted by the Town Assembly). Mail your request for a waiver to the Town Secretary, Village of Arden, 2119 The Highway, Arden, DE 19810.
Click here to read the current Ordinance 15: Ordinance 15 -June 2024.
Click here to see the Arden Vacant Property Registration Form.
Ordinance 15: Revisions
See an explanation of the changes enacted by the June 2024 Town Assembly to Ordinance 15 here: Changes to Arden’s Vacant Dwellings Ordinance
Frequently Asked Questions about the Vacant Dwelling Ordinance
- What is the purpose of this ordinance?
The purpose of this ordinance is to require leaseholders who own a leasehold that is vacant for over a year to register that leasehold. - Who will administer this process?
Administration of this ordinance is performed by the Village Secretary and Community Planning Committee. Together they manage the process of this ordinance. - If I own several ADU’s and some or all are vacant during a year, must I register?
If any of the dwellings, including ADU’s, on a leasehold are occupied then the leasehold is considered occupied. - How does the registration process work?
The Community Planning Committee (CPC) will obtain a list of dwellings deemed unoccupied from the Registration Committee. In January of each year, the CPC will evaluate that list to see which dwellings qualify as vacant for more than a year under Ordinance 15. The Village Secretary will send a letter with a registration form to these leaseholders. Leaseholders who receive this letter have 30 days to contact the Secretary if they want to appeal, obtain a waiver, or provide information showing the house is not vacant for over a year. Leaseholders who have vacant dwellings will need to register and pay their registration fee no later than January 31. - What happens to the money collected under this ordinance?
The use of this fund is restricted to the intent of the Ordinance which is to protect the public health, safety and welfare of Arden and to encourage civic engagement throughout the Village. It is reserved in a separate Village fund. Click Policy to Establish Expenditures from Registration of Vacant Dwelling Ordinance to learn more about the process of how these funds are allocated.