Housing in New Jersey | MyRepTracker

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3493: Reduces membership of State Real Estate Appraiser Board and prohibits discriminatory practices in property appraisals.

This bill reduces the State Real Estate Appraiser Board from 11 to 7 members and prohibits appraisers from discriminating based on race, color, or national origin when valuing property. It directly affects licensed real estate appraisers, appraisal management companies, and property owners or buyers who may face discriminatory appraisals. Key provisions require appraisers to avoid bias in valuations, mandate restitution and anti-bias training for first violations, and impose suspensions or license revocations for repeated violations. The Department of Law and Public Safety will investigate complaints and direct disciplinary actions through the Appraiser Board.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 423: "Medical Debt Homestead Protection Act."

This bill, the "Medical Debt Homestead Protection Act," protects New Jersey residents from losing their primary home due to medical debt. It allows any person aged 18 or over living in New Jersey to exempt one home (a traditional house, condo/co-op, or manufactured home with land) from being seized or sold if a court judgment is issued for unpaid medical bills. The exemption applies only to medical debt judgments, not other debts, and limits each person to protecting just one residence. This change takes effect 90 days after the bill is signed into law.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing

passed · New Jersey · General Assembly May 4, 2026

A 2127: Prohibits certain public utilities from charging residents of multi-unit dwellings meter-reading fees in certain circumstances.

This bill (A2127) prohibits electric and gas public utilities in New Jersey from charging residential tenants in multi-unit dwellings (like apartments) a meter-reading fee that exceeds the actual cost of their electricity or gas usage for a billing cycle. It specifically targets fees charged to customers who have opted out of smart meter installation and require manual meter readings. The law sets a clear cap: utilities cannot charge more for manual readings than the customer’s regular utility usage cost. This applies directly to renters in shared housing who choose manual metering, ensuring fees align with actual consumption rather than arbitrary charges.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Housing

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 9, 2026

S 3410: Establishes "Entry-Level Home Production Incentive Act of 2026"; provides project gap financing for low- to middle-income housing development; appropriates $300 million.

S 3410 establishes the "Entry-Level Home Development Fund" with a $300 million appropriation to provide gap financing for developers building low- to middle-income housing. The fund, administered by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, covers financing shortfalls that prevent developers from constructing housing affordable to households earning up to 120% of the area median income. This program directly supports developers of qualifying projects and aims to increase housing supply for low- to middle-income residents who face affordability challenges due to high prices and limited inventory. The bill defines "low- to middle-income housing" as units reserved for households meeting specific income thresholds, without mandating additional requirements for project locations or developer types.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Appropriations Affordable Housing Housing Finance Mortgages

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2693: Permits fair share affordable housing bonus credit for certain housing reserved for occupancy by teachers.

This bill allows New Jersey municipalities to earn extra credit toward their affordable housing requirements by reserving units for low- or moderate-income teachers. Specifically, each housing unit reserved for a teacher household earns one full credit plus half a bonus credit. The bill defines "teacher" broadly as anyone employed to teach pre-K through 12th grade in public or private schools. It takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Teachers Affordable Housing

died · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 790: "The Manufactured Home Park Protection Act"; expands opportunity to purchase for resident homeowners in certain manufactured home parks; modifies certain requirements for disposition of private residential leasehold communities.

This bill, "The Manufactured Home Park Protection Act" (A-790), gives residents in certain manufactured home communities (with 10+ sites) the right to buy their land before the landowner sells to outsiders. It requires landowners to notify resident homeowners and a state-listed registry of affordable housing nonprofits when selling the community. Residents can form groups or purchase entities to collectively buy the land, with the Department of Community Affairs maintaining a public list of nonprofits ready to assist. The bill modifies existing law to prioritize resident ownership and prevent displacement in these communities. (Note: The bill was withdrawn after being superseded by P.L.2025, c.362.)

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3994: Enhances oversight of enforcement of municipal rent control and rent leveling ordinances; establishes Rental Control Ombudsman in DCA; appropriates $4 million.

This bill (A 3994) strengthens enforcement of local rent control and rent leveling laws in New Jersey municipalities. It directly affects tenants in rent-controlled areas by creating new tools to hold municipalities accountable when they fail to enforce these ordinances. Key provisions include establishing a Rental Control Ombudsman in the Department of Community Affairs to handle complaints and refer cases to the Attorney General, and allowing tenants (or tenant associations) to sue municipalities for non-enforcement after 30 days of missed deadlines or no response. The bill appropriates $4 million total ($2 million to the Attorney General and $2 million to fund the Ombudsman's office) to support these enforcement mechanisms, which take effect immediately.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Renters Tenant Rights

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 581: Requires municipalities to conduct lead paint inspections in single- and two-family dwellings; requires reporting of inspection results to State.

This bill requires New Jersey municipalities to inspect single- and two-family rental dwellings for lead paint hazards at least every five years (every two years for properties with lead remediation), using either local agencies or state-certified contractors. It directly affects landlords and property owners in these dwellings, with exemptions for homes built after 1978, lead-free certified units, and seasonal rentals under six months. Municipalities must report inspection results to the state and collect fees - $20 per unit - to fund lead hazard control efforts. The state will compile public reports on high-risk areas and lead inspection activity annually.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Landlords Tenant Rights

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3962: Provides that fines for municipal housing or zoning code violations may be imposed by municipality each day violation continues.

This bill (A 3962) allows New Jersey municipalities to impose daily fines on property owners for ongoing violations of housing or zoning codes, rather than a single flat fine. It requires municipalities to provide owners a 30-day period to fix violations before imposing fines exceeding $1,250, and mandates a court hearing if the violation persists after this period. The bill specifically responds to a court ruling that invalidated prior daily-fine provisions, validating past fines and ensuring municipalities can enforce ongoing violations through daily penalties until the issue is resolved. It directly affects property owners who violate housing/zoning codes and municipalities that enforce these codes.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Zoning

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 605: Codifies protections in Law Against Discrimination for persons suffering discrimination on grounds of disparate impact.

This bill would amend New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination to explicitly protect people from "disparate impact" discrimination - meaning policies that seem neutral but disproportionately harm individuals in protected groups (such as race, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation). Currently, courts have interpreted the law to cover this, but the bill would codify that protection directly into statute. It affects anyone facing discrimination in housing, employment, or services due to such policies, making it easier to seek legal remedies. The change clarifies existing protections without altering the scope of covered discrimination.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment

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