This bill amends the definition of "landlord" in New Jersey law to include owners and operators of rooming and boarding houses, thereby allowing municipalities to enforce standards of responsibility for these types of properties. The revised definition specifies that a "landlord" now encompasses not only those who own buildings with fewer than four dwelling units but also those who manage rooming and boarding houses, as defined by existing law. This change aims to ensure that all landlords, regardless of the type of rental property they manage, are held to similar standards of conduct to maintain community peace and safety.

The bill also clarifies that municipalities have the authority to adopt ordinances that address irresponsible rental practices, which can now extend to rooming and boarding houses. It emphasizes that this revision does not affect any existing municipal ordinances; rather, it requires that if a municipality has already enacted an ordinance under the current law, a new ordinance must be established specifically for rooming and boarding house owners and operators. The bill is set to take effect immediately and will apply to ordinances adopted after its enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 40:48-2.12