The proposed Safe and Sanitary Rental Housing Act aims to improve the quality of rental housing in New Jersey by enforcing stricter regulations on landlords. Key provisions include mandatory registration for landlords, requiring them to provide detailed ownership information, including the names and Social Security numbers of corporate owners and their representatives, as well as emergency contact details. Landlords who accept rental subsidies must be registered for at least 90 days before they can receive state funding or tax benefits for property rehabilitation. The bill also establishes a tiered inspection system for multiple dwellings, with inspection frequency based on compliance with safety standards, and grants the Commissioner of Community Affairs the authority to set fees for registration and inspections.

Additionally, the bill introduces new regulations for eviction proceedings, requiring landlords to document any links between non-payment of rent and violations of the warranty of habitability in a shared database, with penalties for non-compliance. It mandates that landlords inform tenants about how to file complaints and access social services within their properties. The legislation also outlines procedures for addressing violations, including timely compliance and notification of hazardous conditions, while enhancing transparency by requiring the establishment of a public program for online access to inspection records. Overall, the act seeks to enhance tenant protections and ensure that landlords are held accountable for maintaining safe and sanitary living conditions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 46:8-28, 46:8-28.2, 55:13A-12, 55:13A-13, 55:13A-16, 55:13A-8, 55:13A-20