Rice, O’Scanlon Bill to Update Landlord and Tenant Laws Clears Committee

Trenton – Legislation sponsored by Senator Ronald L. Rice and Senator Declan O’Scanlon, which would bolster protections for tenants to prevent being taken advantage of by landlords, cleared the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee today.

“I spent a lot of time working with former Senator Jennifer Beck on tenants’ rights legislation, and I am glad to be working with Senator O’Scanlon to further defend tenants from being taken advantage of,” said Senator Rice (D-Essex). “Landlords must be held accountable to provide habitable living conditions, tenant screening issues, and acceptable maintenance standards.”

“Unscrupulous slumlords and unsanitary rental properties will not be tolerated in New Jersey,” said Senator O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth). “Tenants deserve to live in clean and secure homes with their families, not the rat infested properties we saw in the Asbury Park Press’ ‘Renters Hell’ investigative series. The ‘Landlord Registration and Tenant Protection Act’ will protect tenants, and their right to safe housing. Together we will ensure landlords are responsive to tenant concerns and can be held accountable when problems arise.”

This bill, S-2696, would clarify existing landlord and tenant laws by modernizing the language, expand current landlord registration procedures, and permit a percentage of affordable housing obligations to be satisfied by rehabilitating substandard dwelling units to be dedicated for low income rental housing.

The bill also implements recommendations issued by the New Jersey Law Revision Commission which sought to modernize and update the landlord registration process which not only gives landlords a better understanding of what is expected of them but creates transparency between them and State agencies.

The bill was released from committee by a vote of 5-0.