This bill amends the Relocation Assistance Act, P.L.1971, c.362 (C.20:4-1 et seq.), to enhance protections for tenants displaced by fire. It clarifies that a tenant displaced from their dwelling due to fire is considered a "displaced person" under the Act, regardless of whether a municipal resolution is in place. The bill also establishes that tenants displaced by fire have the right of first refusal to return to their dwelling once repairs are completed and the unit is restored to a condition equal to or better than before the fire. Additionally, it allows tenants to apply to the Department of Community Affairs for a nominal rent of one dollar per month to maintain their right of first refusal while the unit is uninhabitable.

Furthermore, the bill provides a legal recourse for tenants who are unlawfully denied their right of first refusal, allowing them to seek compensatory damages or other relief in court. It retains the existing provision that allows municipalities to pass resolutions for tenants displaced by emergencies other than fire to be deemed displaced persons under the Act, while expanding the definition of "displaced person" to include those affected by fire damage that renders their dwelling uninhabitable, as determined by a housing inspector or equivalent official.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 20:4-3, 20:4-3.1