Unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning, the
following words or phrases when used in this chapter shall have the
following meanings:
AGENT
The individual or individuals designated by the owner as
the person(s) authorized by the owner to perform any duty imposed
upon the owner by this chapter. The term does not necessarily mean
a licensed real estate broker or salesman of the State of New Jersey,
as those terms are defined by N.J.S.A. 45:15-3; however, such term
may include a licensed real estate broker or salesman of the State
of New Jersey if such person designated by the owner as their agent
is so licensed.
APARTMENT COMPLEX
Two or more buildings, each containing two or more apartments,
which are located within close proximity of each other and are owned
by the same owner.
APARTMENT or DWELLING
Any apartment, cottage, bungalow or any room or rooms in
a rooming house or boardinghouse or other dwelling unit consisting
of one or more rooms occupying all or part of a floor or floors in
a building, whether designed with or without housekeeping facilities,
for dwelling purposes and notwithstanding whether the apartment be
designed for residence, for office, for the operation of any industry
or business, or for any other type of independent use.
CERTIFICATE HOLDER
The person to whom the certificate of code compliance is
issued pursuant to this chapter. The term "certificate holder" includes
within its definition the term "agent" where applicable.
CERTIFICATE OF CODE COMPLIANCE
The certificate issued by the Township Inspections Department
or designee attesting that the rental unit is in compliance with all
of the ordinances of the Township of Bloomfield.
OWNER
Any person or persons, firm, corporation, or officer thereof,
partnership, association or trust who owns, operates, exercises control
over or is in charge of a rental facility.
PERSON
An individual, firm, corporation, partnership, association,
trust or other legal entity, or any combination thereof.
REASONABLE TIME
Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. or such other
time mutually agreed.
RENTAL FACILITY
Every building, group of buildings or a portion thereof which
is kept, used, maintained, advertised, or held out to be a place where
living accommodations are supplied, whether furnished or unfurnished,
for pay or other consideration to one or more individuals and is meant
to include apartments and apartment complexes. Exempt from all provisions
of this chapter shall be any nonprofit senior citizen rental facilities,
which shall be defined as any facility with more than 50 rental units
and is maintained and operated by a nonprofit organization, as defined
by the United States Internal Revenue Code, for the primary benefit
of senior citizens.
RENTAL UNIT
A dwelling unit which is available for lease or rental purposes
and is meant to include a dwelling unit offered for lease or rental,
including but not limited to one-family homes, two-family homes, three-family
homes, etc., as well as individual apartments located within apartment
complexes.
All rental units shall hereafter be registered with the Township
Inspections Department or designee of the Township of Bloomfield or
such other person as designated by the Township Council on forms which
shall be provided for that purpose and which shall be obtained from
the Township Inspections Department or designee.
Each rental unit shall be registered. The registration shall
be effective so long as the occupancy of the rental unit and the information
necessary to obtain the certificate of code compliance has not changed.
The initial registration shall occur within 45 days following the
adoption of this chapter. No rental unit shall hereafter be rented
unless the rental unit is registered and a certificate of code compliance
is issued in accordance with this chapter.
Without in any way intending to infringe upon the requirements
of N.J.S.A. 46:8-28, all rental units shall be registered, and a certificate
of code compliance shall be issued as provided herein. Every owner
shall file with the Township Inspections Department or designee of
the Township of Bloomfield or such other person as designated by the
Township Council a registration form for each unit contained within
a building or structure which shall include the following information,
which information shall not be available to the public:
A. The name(s) of the tenant of record and occupants, which information
shall be made available only to the Board of Education and the Inspections
Department of the Township of Bloomfield. This information shall remain
confidential and not be available to the public or any other municipal
agency of the Township.
B. The name and address of the record owner or owners of the premises
and the record owner or owners of the rental business if not the same
persons. In the case of a partnership, the names and addresses of
all general partners shall be provided, together with the telephone
numbers for each of such individuals indicating where such individual
may be reached both during the day and evening hours. If the record
owner is a corporation, the names and addresses of the registered
agent and corporate officers of said corporation shall be provided,
together with the telephone numbers for each of such individuals indicating
where such individuals may be reached both during the day and evening
hours.
C. If the address of any record owner is not located in Bloomfield or
in Essex County, the name and address of a person who resides in Essex
County and who is authorized to accept notices from a tenant and to
issue receipts therefor and to accept service of process on behalf
of the record owner.
D. The name and address of the agent of the premises, if any.
E. The name and address, including the dwelling unit number, of the
superintendent, janitor, custodian or other individual employed by
the owner or agent to provide regular maintenance service, if any.
F. The name, address and telephone number of an individual representative
or the owner or agent who may be reached or contacted at any time
in the event of an emergency affecting the premises or any unit of
dwelling space therein, including such emergencies as the failure
of any essential service or system, and who has the authority to make
emergency decisions concerning the building and any repair thereto
or expenditure in connection therewith.
G. The names and addresses of every holder of a recorded mortgage on
the premises.
H. If fuel oil is used to heat the building and the landlord furnishes
the heat in the building, the name and address of the fuel oil dealer
servicing the building and the grade of fuel oil used.
I. As to each rental unit, a specification of the exact number of sleeping
rooms contained in the rental unit. In order to satisfy the requirement
of this provision, an owner shall submit the square footage of the
rental unit, which shall become part of the application, and which
shall be attached to the registration form when filed by the Township
Inspections Department or designee.
J. Such other information as may be prescribed by the Township.
The Township Inspections Department or designee shall index
and file the registration forms. In doing so, the Township Inspections
Department or designee shall follow the mandates of N.J.S.A. 46:8-28.1,
as amended and supplemented, so that the filing of the registration
form will simultaneously satisfy the registration requirements of
N.J.S.A. 46:8-28 to the extent that it applies to the property being
registered and will also satisfy the registration requirements of
this chapter.
Every person required to file a registration form pursuant to
this chapter shall file an amended registration form within 20 days
after any change in the information required to be included thereon.
No fee shall be required for the filing of an amendment except where
the ownership or occupancy of the premises is changed.
Inspection Officers shall be supplied with official identification
and shall exhibit such identification when entering any rental facility,
rental unit, rooming house and boardinghouse or any part of any premises
subject to this chapter. Inspectors shall conduct themselves so as
to avoid intentional embarrassment or inconvenience to occupants.
No person shall hereafter occupy any rental unit, nor shall
the owner permit occupancy of any rental unit, within the Township
of Bloomfield that is not registered in accordance with this chapter
or has not had a certificate of code compliance issued as provided
herein.
Upon the filing of a completed registration form, payment of
the prescribed fee and a satisfactory inspection, the owner shall
be entitled to the issuance of a certificate of code compliance commencing
on the date of issuance and indicating same expiring upon a change
of the occupancy of the rental unit. A registration form shall be
required for each rental unit, and a certificate of code compliance
shall be issued to the owner for each rental unit, even if more than
one rental unit is contained in the property.
At the time of the filing of the registration form and prior
to the issuance of a certificate of code compliance, the owner or
agent of the owner must pay a fee in accordance with the following:
A. An inspection fee of $50 for each rental unit.
B. Renewal must be made every three years (per unit) or upon change
in tenant within those three years: $50 inspection fee per unit.
C. Failure of owner to renew every three years or notify the Fire Department
upon change of tenant will result in an increased fee of $100 per
rental unit.
D. There will be a reinspection fee of $50 if the unit is not in compliance
upon first inspection.
E. There will be no fee for owner-occupied units: owner must be on deed
and must supply a copy of their driver's license or some other
document as proof of residency.
Every owner shall provide each occupant or tenant occupying
a rental unit with a copy of the certificate of code compliance required
by this chapter. This particular provision shall not apply to any
hotel, motel or guest house registered with the State of New Jersey
pursuant to the Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Act as defined in N.J.S.A.
55:13A-3. This provision may be complied with by posting a copy of
the registration certificate in a conspicuous place within the rental
unit(s).
No rental unit may be registered and no certificate of code
compliance shall issue for any property containing a rental unit unless
all municipal taxes, water and sewer charges and any other municipal
assessments are paid on a current basis.
[Amended 7-18-2022 by Ord. No. 22-48]
All dwelling units shall be maintained in accordance with the
Uniform Construction Code and the International Property Maintenance Code.
Any person, firm, or corporation who or which shall violate any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction, be subject to the penalty as provided in §
1-15, General penalty, of this Code. Each violation of any of the provisions of this chapter and each day the same is violated shall be deemed and taken to be a separate and distinct offense.