The City of Newark has a Weed Abatement Program to eradicate nuisance or hazardous weeds. Each year, the Fire Marshal prepares a list of properties where the weeds present a fire hazard. The property owners are notified to have their weeds controlled by a certain date or the City will cause the weeds to be mowed and assess the property owner for all the costs associated with the work. Notifications are sent out in the spring and the City mowing usually takes place in May or June. If weeds reappear, the Fire Marshal will initiate a second round of mowing; this usually occurs mid to late summer.

Most properties that are tagged by the Fire Marshal are undeveloped.Community Preservation Officers have also started a process for abating weeds on residential properties that are vacant or unattended.

If you would like to report a residential lot that may be a fire hazard due to overgrown vegetation, please contact Community Preservation at patricia.montejano@newark.org or (510) 578-4285.