Housing in New Jersey | MyRepTracker

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 4009: "Tenants Anti-Retaliation & Anti-Harassment Act"; establishes rebuttable presumption for complaints by tenant of illegal activity by landlord.

This bill, known as the Tenant Anti-Retaliation & Anti-Harassment Act, strengthens protections for tenants in New Jersey by establishing a legal presumption that landlords acted retaliatorily if they take adverse actions against tenants within six months of a tenant complaint. Specifically, if a landlord issues a notice to quit or makes substantial changes to tenancy terms - such as illegal lockouts, utility shut-offs, threats, or harassment - soon after a tenant files a complaint, the law presumes retaliation unless the landlord can prove otherwise. Violations of this presumption can result in a $5,000 civil penalty per incident, plus reimbursement for reasonable attorney fees and expenses, enforceable through a summary proceeding in the appropriate county court. The act applies to complaints made under existing tenant protection laws and takes effect immediately upon passage.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Landlords Tenant Rights

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 12, 2026

S 3937: Requires Bureau of Housing Inspection to establish hotline and maintain database for public housing occupants to lodge complaints concerning living conditions.

This bill requires New Jersey's Bureau of Housing Inspection to create a 24/7 toll-free hotline and a statewide database for public housing residents to report health, safety, and living condition issues. The hotline must offer live operators in English and Spanish, protect caller anonymity, and provide information or referrals to residents. The database will track substantiated complaints, including details on violations, corrective actions taken, and response times, with this information posted online for public review. The Commissioner of Community Affairs must adopt rules to ensure the hotline and database operate securely and are clearly advertised at public housing facilities.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Tenant Rights

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SJR 115: Designates November of each year as "New Jersey Homeless Children and Youth Awareness Month."

This bill designates November of each year as "New Jersey Homeless Children and Youth Awareness Month" to raise public awareness about homelessness among young people in the state. The resolution authorizes the Governor to issue an annual proclamation encouraging public officials and citizens to observe the month with appropriate programs and activities. While the bill does not create new funding or policy mandates, it aims to highlight the challenges faced by homeless children and youth, including risks to health, education, and safety, and to foster community support for existing assistance programs.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Homelessness

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 19, 2026

A 4763: Requires DCA to calculate affordable housing obligations on Statewide growth-share calculation method.

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs to calculate affordable housing obligations using a statewide growth-share method instead of individual municipal calculations. It treats the entire state as a single housing region, determining housing needs over a 10-year period based on residential and non-residential development growth across the state. The calculation method includes foreclosed and abandoned properties, excludes new housing starts during administrative rule gaps, and caps new obligations at five percent of the existing statewide housing stock. Additionally, the bill directs the Commissioner of Community Affairs to update existing deadlines to ensure prompt implementation and repeals two previous sections related to municipal housing obligations.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Property Development

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 12, 2026

S 3941: Concerns accessibility in certain multistory buildings; provides for penalties.

This bill requires property owners of multistory buildings in New Jersey to ensure accessible access to every floor for people with disabilities, especially during elevator outages. It mandates that buildings with elevators restore service within two hours, while those without elevators must provide alternative access methods like ramps or evacuation chairs if service is down longer. The Division of Codes and Standards will handle reporting, inspections, and enforcement, with penalties ranging from $500 to $2,500 depending on the severity and frequency of violations. The bill also establishes a grant program to help property owners purchase necessary accessibility equipment and clarifies that it does not override existing federal or local laws.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 3998: Requires senior housing applications be made available by mail and email.

This bill requires senior housing providers in New Jersey to make application forms available by mail or email upon request from prospective residents. It directly affects organizations that rent, lease, sell, or resell age-restricted dwelling units, ensuring they provide copies of required forms in the format requested by applicants. The legislation also directs the Commissioner of Community Affairs to create necessary rules to implement these requirements. This change aims to improve accessibility for seniors who may not have easy access to online applications or in-person collection methods.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Renters Tags Seniors

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 12, 2026

S 3889: Allows certain municipalities to establish lower property tax rate on improvements than land.

This bill allows certain New Jersey municipalities to adopt a property tax system that charges lower tax rates on building improvements than on the land itself. It primarily affects municipalities designated as needing infrastructure investment, which can implement the system immediately, while other municipalities must apply to the Division of Taxation for approval. The law requires that municipalities with significant open space, farmland, or environmentally sensitive land cannot adopt this system, and it permits local governments to gradually phase in or phase out the different tax rates over time.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Property Tax Property Taxes

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 23, 2026

A 4797: Requires Department of Banking and Insurance to examine and rate lending institutions with regards to lending, investments, and services provided to low- and moderate-income consumers.

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Banking and Insurance to evaluate and rate financial institutions based on how well they serve low- and moderate-income consumers through lending, investments, and services. The law mandates that banks and credit unions develop community benefits plans with measurable goals for providing financial products to underserved areas and defines specific activities that count as community development, such as affordable housing, small business financing, and climate resilience projects. Financial institutions must demonstrate they meet the needs of the communities where they operate, and the Department will use these ratings to encourage continued support for local economic needs while ensuring safe and sound banking practices.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Community Development Property Development

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 16, 2026

A 4686: The "Real Estate Installment Contract Act."

This bill establishes the "Real Estate Installment Contract Act" in New Jersey to regulate agreements where sellers retain legal title while buyers make installment payments on properties with four or fewer dwelling units. The law requires these contracts to be written and recorded within 20 days, mandating specific disclosures about purchase price, payment terms, existing liens, and responsibilities for taxes and municipal charges. Sellers must deliver a formal deed to buyers within 30 days after all payments are completed, and the act outlines procedures for handling defaults by either party through court actions.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 9, 2026

A 4524: "Protection of Homeownership and Limiting Institutional Investor Acquisition Act"; imposes limitations and establishes certain incentives and disincentives concerning acquisition of single-family residences.

This bill, A4524, aims to make homeownership more accessible in New Jersey by restricting institutional investors (like large real estate firms) from dominating the single-family home market. It creates tax disincentives for institutional buyers purchasing homes for rental purposes, while offering tax incentives and down payment assistance for individual homebuyers seeking starter homes. The bill also requires developers to streamline construction of single-family homes and establishes new definitions for "beneficial owners" to identify controlling entities behind institutional purchases. These provisions directly affect institutional investors, individual homebuyers, and developers, targeting the market imbalance that the bill claims has made homeownership unaffordable for many.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Procurement Homeownership

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