Horsham Secures New Tenant for Township Property

The Horsham Township Council has begun the process of leasing out a dilapidated home it has owned for close to 20 years.

The governing body, during this week’s meeting, approved a license agreement for the township-owned Anderson house, which sits adjacent to the 102-acre . Under the 60-day agreement, the lessees must work to bring the old home up to a livable condition and up to the township’s zoning code, Horsham Township Manager Bill Walker said.

The council also introduced an ordinance to establish a 15-year lease agreement with the Holland family. The proposed ordinance , which is slated for adoption in September, sets rent at $1,000 per month – only payable to the township if the home’s inhabitants “do no successfully complete the improvements to the premises as required,” Walker said.

Walker said the agreement will be similar to the one in place for the township-owned , which the Horsham Preservation and Historical Association leases from the township on the condition that the nonprofit group will maintain the structure. – who are responsible for its upkeep. 

The township purchased the Anderson house in 1994 with the intention of tearing down the dilapidated dwelling, Walker said. The idea, he said, was to expand upon the township-owned land, particularly since the home abuts Cedar Hill Road Park.

“It’s in poor condition,” Walker said of the home, which he deemed “old” as opposed to historic. Township officials were surprised then and now that people expressed interest in living in it and maintaining it, he said.

Joe Holland, who attended Wednesday’s meeting with his family, said he’s up for the challenge.

“There’s a lot of work to do there, but we’re young. I’m 36,” Holland said, adding that he enjoys history and looks forward to “bringing the place back up.”

“I’ll give you credit for undertaking this task,” Council President Mark McCouch said.