President Donald Trump’s administration has stepped up efforts to safeguard a 175-year-old family farm in New Jersey, as the land may be taken for affordable housing.
Brothers Andy and Christopher Henry have been pleading with Cranbury Township officials for months to allow their family to continue using the centuries-old farm on South River Road.
The municipality is invoking eminent domain to take over the Middlesex County farm in order to make room for a developer to construct the state-mandated affordable housing. According to local officials, even if the family decides not to sell, they will still receive a fair market price for the land.
In an opinion piece posted on X on Tuesday, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated that the federal Department of Agriculture was in communication with the Henrys and will assist them in their legal battle.
According to Rollins’ post, “We at USDA are exploring every legal option to help, even though this particular case is a city eminent domain issue.”
According to the post, the Henry family had a conversation with the agricultural secretary. A link for others to report if their farm has been the subject of government overreach was also given.
A request for more remarks Wednesday was not immediately answered by Trump administration officials. A request for response from Cranbury officials was also not immediately answered.
A request for comment on Rollins’ social media post was not immediately answered by the Henry brothers or their lawyer.
The Republican candidate for governor this year, Jack Ciattarelli, also thanked Rollins on social media for investigating the Henrys’ struggle to save their farm.
As previously stated, the Henrys are looking into legal possibilities to contest the township’s use of eminent domain, which gives the government the authority to appropriate private land for public use even in cases where the owner declines to sell.
The 21-acre estate their great-grandfather bought in 1850 is where Christopher and Andy Henry were raised. Since acquiring it in 2012, they claim to have put over $200,000 into it.
The property is encircled by warehouses that have appeared during the past 30 years, sandwiched between Route 130 and the New Jersey Turnpike. According to the Henrys, they have rejected developers’ offers of up to $30 million to construct another one on their property.
Currently, a renter who keeps cattle on the farm rents the land.
The Henrys may be forced to sell their farm after the Cranbury Township Committee approved an ordinance last month that permits authorities to start the process of eminent domain land seizure.
About half of the Henry farm might be developed, according to the affordable housing plan that Cranbury Township authorities unveiled this week.
An old photograph of Cranbury’s Henry farm.The Henry Family
By 2035, communities in New Jersey are required to construct or renovate nearly 146,000 units of affordable housing under a contentious state mandate. The Mount Laurel Doctrine, a set of state Supreme Court decisions mandating that towns provide their fair share of affordable housing, is the source of the mandate.
According to township papers, Cranbury is expected to construct 265 affordable homes over the next ten years, with almost half of those units to be constructed on the Henry farm’s almost 12-acre plot.
According to the plan, the township and the real estate firm Walters Group, based in New Jersey, will collaborate to construct an inexpensive housing complex with 130 units. Six multifamily buildings would house the apartments, each with its own community center and recreational area.
According to the records, construction is anticipated to cost around $45.2 million and be completed in two parts.
During recent township committee meetings, many of locals voiced their opposition to the farm’s seizure. As of Wednesday, an online campaign that was created to assist the family with legal expenses had raised over $54,000.
Lisa Knierim, the mayor of Cranbury, has justified the use of eminent domain, stating that the committee reviewed more than 50 possible locations for more than a year before deciding to build affordable housing on the Henry property. According to her, the measure is required to prevent developers from pursuing expensive legal action known as builder’s remedy lawsuits, which might deprive the township of authority over the location and design of affordable housing.
Eminent domain is opposed by everyone. Knierim had earlier stated that no one wants to see a farm become extinct.
The Henrys and their allies contend, however, that the land is unfit for residential use because it is situated in a warehouse zone.
A planning board meeting to discuss the affordable housing plan is planned for the next day, and the next township committee meeting is set for Monday.
According to Timothy Dugan, the Henrys’ lawyer, the township’s intention to take the farm is in opposition to Cranbury’s long-standing desire to preserve its agricultural.
Cranbury has a long history of farming. The town’s historic district, which contains a number of structures from the 19th century, was initially created to aid local farmers and agricultural endeavors. Over 2,000 acres of farmland have been maintained by the township thus far.
According to Dugan, this inexpensive home will be isolated and encircled by warehouses. What makes that a wise choice, and how is it equitable for the low-income residents?
Stories by
Nyah Marshall
-
N.J. s oldest horse racing track sold, will undergo stunning transformation
-
Once it s gone, it s gone forever. Family and neighbors make last plea to save N.J. farm from seizure
-
N.J. primary election results 2025: Ocean County
