This bill creates a New Jersey housing purchase matching grant program for active-duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces and New Jersey National Guard who served in specific operations (Operation Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, or Iraqi Freedom) for at least 90 days. It provides up to $10,000 in matching funds - dollar-for-dollar - for closing costs or home equity purchases, with no income requirement. To qualify, applicants must prove NJ residency, intent to buy a NJ principal residence, and the required military service. The program is coordinated with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and does not require meeting other homebuyer program eligibility criteria.
This bill creates a statewide real-time database tracking available beds in homeless shelters across New Jersey. Homeless shelters (excluding domestic violence shelters) must update bed availability within one hour of changes, allowing shelter operators and referral services to quickly locate open beds for people needing emergency housing. Participation in the database becomes a condition for shelters to receive state funding from the Departments of Community Affairs and Human Services. The database aims to improve coordination between shelters to reduce wait times for individuals seeking immediate housing assistance.
This bill (A3516) clarifies and updates requirements for two key elements in New Jersey municipalities' master plans: the land use plan and housing plan. It mandates that land use plans include a climate change hazard vulnerability assessment analyzing threats like flooding and sea-level rise, plus strategies for storm resiliency and environmental sustainability. The housing plan element must now evaluate existing housing stock (including affordable units), project future housing needs over 10 years, and analyze demographic trends. These requirements directly affect all New Jersey municipalities required to maintain master plans, ensuring they address climate risks and housing affordability in their planning processes.
This bill creates a $2 million home purchase grant program for New Jersey veterans who served at least 90 days in federal active duty. It directly affects eligible veterans meeting three criteria: NJ residency, intent to buy a NJ primary residence, and proof of qualifying military service. The program provides up to $10,000 in matching grants (dollar-for-dollar) to cover closing costs, equity payments, or other home purchase expenses, with no income requirements. Veterans may also receive priority if eligible for other state homebuyer programs. The program is administered by the agency in coordination with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
This bill adds "source of lawful income" to New Jersey's list of protected categories in housing, prohibiting discrimination by landlords or housing providers. It directly affects renters and homeowners who use lawful income sources (such as government benefits, disability payments, or child support) for housing payments. The law expands existing protections under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination to explicitly cover this factor, making it illegal to refuse housing, impose different terms, or harass someone based on how they pay rent or a mortgage. The amendment clarifies that victims can seek remedies like damages for discrimination-related harms, including economic loss or emotional distress. (Note: The bill was withdrawn as redundant after similar protections were enacted as P.L.2025, c.251.)
This bill allows homeowners facing foreclosure on their primary residence to voluntarily disclose a disability and submit a physician's statement confirming the disability and its impact. It requires the court to provide this option when homeowners file their answer to a foreclosure complaint and the required case information statement. The policy change specifically applies to owner-occupied residential mortgage cases, giving disabled homeowners a formal way to request court consideration of their condition during foreclosure proceedings. This is a procedural adjustment to the foreclosure process, not a change to mortgage terms or protections.
The "Immigrant Tenant Protection Act" (A4492) prohibits landlords in New Jersey from threatening to disclose or disclosing a tenant’s immigration or citizenship status to force them out of housing, or from using that status as a basis for eviction. It bans evictions solely or partially tied to immigration status and allows tenants to sue for up to $2,000 per violation, plus damages and legal fees. The bill also blocks courts from inquiring into a tenant’s immigration status during housing rights cases, except in limited circumstances like federal program compliance. It directly affects residential tenants (particularly immigrant communities) and landlords, while clarifying that landlords may still request standard financial or identity verification for legitimate rental purposes.
This bill expands New Jersey's property tax exemption for veterans with service-connected disabilities. It directly affects honorably discharged veterans who have a permanent service-connected disability, including mental illness (previously excluded), and their surviving partners. The key change adds mental illness as a qualifying condition for a proportional property tax exemption based on the veteran's disability percentage (up to 100%). It also extends eligibility to surviving partners if the veteran developed a service-connected disability after death, allowing them to claim the exemption as if the veteran were still living. The exemption applies to the veteran's or surviving partner's primary residence, in addition to other existing property tax exemptions.
This bill allows New Jersey municipalities with approved affordable housing plans (under the Fair Housing Act) to prioritize certain affordable housing units for specific groups. It enables corporate employers to give priority to their low/moderate-income employees for housing units they sponsor, farm owners to prioritize migrant workers who meet income requirements, and housing owners to prioritize family members for accessory units. The bill also exempts these prioritized units from requiring "affirmative regional marketing," allowing them to count toward the municipality's housing obligation under state law. This directly affects eligible residents seeking affordable housing through employer or family-sponsored units in certified municipalities.
This bill (A 898) requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to collect data from residents seeking affordable housing. DCA must gather specific details - current residence, employment location (if applicable), and desired municipality for housing - via online forms or agency submissions. Annually, DCA will compile this data into a report categorized by municipality and send it to the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) to help determine where affordable housing demand exists. The goal is to inform COAH’s allocation of housing development obligations based on actual resident demand.
