[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Port
Republic 6-15-2010 by Ord. No. 06-2010. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning, the
following words or phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have
the following meanings:
The individuals designated by the owner as the person(s)
authorized by the owner to perform any duty imposed upon the owner
by this chapter. If the owner provides no such designation, the owner
shall be considered the agent or managing agent. In any event, the
owner shall be responsible for any acts or omissions by the designated
agent. 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 his agent is so licensed.
Any dwelling unit consisting of one or more rooms used for
dwelling purposes.
Any building or structure or part thereof used for human
habitation, use or occupancy, and includes any accessory buildings
and appurtenances belonging thereto or usually enjoyed therewith.
A building or entirely self-contained portion thereof which
contains complete housekeeping facilities for one family only and
which has no enclosed space for cooking facilities in common with
any other dwelling unit, except vestibules, entrance halls, porches
or hallways. The definition of a "dwelling unit" shall not include
a boat, trailer or other vehicle of any type, nor a temporary shelter
such as a tent.
A person occupying a dwelling unit for 30 days or less.
A room or enclosed floor space within a dwelling unit used
or designed to be used for living, sleeping, cooking or eating purposes,
excluding bathrooms, water closet compartments, laundries, pantries,
foyers or communicating corridors, closets and storage space.
The license issued by the Building Code Official, or his
or her designee, attesting that the rental unit has been properly
registered in accordance with this chapter.
The person to whom the license is issued pursuant to this
chapter. The term "licensee" includes within its definition the term
"agent," where applicable.
A room or group of rooms containing no cooking facilities,
used for living purposes by a separate family or group of persons
living together or by a person living alone, within a building.
See "agent."
A person occupying a dwelling unit for more than 30 days.
The person who owns, purports to own or exercises control
over any building.
A person to whom a permit is issued hereunder.
An individual, firm, corporation, partnership, association,
trust or other legal entity, or any combination thereof.
The person or persons to whom a rental unit is leased or
rented by the licensee.
Any apartment, dwelling, building, dwelling unit, habitable
room or lodging unit, as defined by this chapter, regardless of the
consideration for occupancy, including but not limited to money paid,
services rendered, or accommodations incident to employment.
The number of individuals who may be properly accommodated
in the beds and other sleeping facilities located within any rental
unit.
All rental units shall hereafter be registered with the Building
Code Official or his designee on forms which shall be provided for
that purpose and which shall be obtained from the Building Code Official
or his designee. Such registration shall occur immediately upon the
adoption of this chapter and upon every change in occupancy; however,
if there has not been a change in occupancy in three years, then the
owner of a rental unit shall register on the first of January following
the expiration of the three-year period.
Each rental unit shall be registered and licensed. The license
terms shall commence January 1 of the applicable year the unit is
registered with the City, and such registration shall be valid for
a three-year period unless there is a change in occupancy, at which
time it shall expire and a new registration shall occur. The initial
registration shall occur within 60 days following the adoption of
this chapter. Any lease which has been executed prior to the adoption
of this chapter shall not be affected, but the rental unit must nevertheless
be registered, inspected and licensed in accordance with this chapter.
No rental unit shall hereafter be rented unless the rental unit is
registered and licensed in accordance with this chapter.
A.
Each rental unit shall be inspected at least once every three years,
upon a change of occupancy and as otherwise necessitated by safety
considerations, alleged violations and as otherwise required by this
chapter. The initial inspection shall occur prior to occupancy in
which a license is sought pursuant to this chapter.
B.
Such inspection shall be for the purpose of determining Zoning Ordinance
compliance and, to the extent applicable, to determine if the property
complies with the Housing Code and/or Building Code and/or Uniform
Fire Safety Code and/or the Property Maintenance Code.[1]
C.
In the event that the inspection of a rental unit does not result
in a satisfactory determination, such property shall not thereafter
be registered, nor shall a license be issued, and the owner of the
property or his agent shall not lease or rent such property, nor shall
any tenant occupy the property, until the necessary corrections have
been made so as to bring the property and rental unit into compliance
with the applicable codes, and the property is thereafter subsequently
registered and licensed. In the event that the property is occupied
when such conditions are discovered, all such corrections shall be
made within 30 days unless safety considerations, as determined by
the enforcement officer, require immediate correction. If not made
within that time period, the owner shall be deemed in violation of
this chapter, and every day that the violation continues shall constitute
a separate offense.
D.
No property shall be licensed unless the owner thereof produces,
at the time of registration, a current, valid certificate of inspection
indicating that the property has either been inspected by the State
of New Jersey Bureau of Housing or by the officials of the City having
jurisdiction and that the property does not contain any code violations.
No person shall hereafter occupy any rental unit, nor shall
the owner permit occupancy of any rental unit, within the City which
is not registered and licensed in accordance with this chapter.
Upon the filing of a completed registration form, the provision
of a satisfactory and current certificate of inspection, and payment
of the prescribed fee, the owner shall be entitled to the issuance
of a license for a three-year period commencing January 1 of the respective
year in which said application was filed, unless there is a change
in occupancy of the unit. A separate registration form shall be required
for each rental, and a license shall be issued to the owner for each
individual unit, notwithstanding the existence of multirental units
on the same property. Each renewal for licensure shall be made and
filed prior to the expiration of the rental license, which occurs
on December 31.
A.
At the time of filing the rental registration form and prior to the
issuance of the license, the owner or agent of the owner must pay
a fee of $100 to the City.
B.
If the owner of the property is a senior citizen who resides in a
unit of the property and rents out the remaining units and would otherwise
qualify under the State of New Jersey property tax deduction, there
shall be no fee.
C.
If any fee is not paid within 30 days of its due date, a late fee
charge of $25 will be assessed.
In accordance with N.J.S.A. 46:8-28, all rental units shall
be registered and licensed as provided herein.
A.
Every owner shall file with the Building Code Official or his designee
a registration form or other forms developed by the City for each
rental unit contained within a building or structure, which shall
include the following information:
(1)
The name, address and telephone number of the owner or owners of
the premises and the record owner or owners of the rental business,
if not the same persons, shall be provided. In the case of a partnership,
the names and addresses of all general partners shall be provided,
together with the telephone numbers for each individual partner, indicating
where such individual may be reached both during day and evening hours,
which telephone numbers shall include cell phone numbers. If the record
owner is a corporation, the name and address of the registered agent
and corporate officers of said corporation shall be provided, together
with the telephone number for each such individual, indicating where
such individual may be reached both during day and evening hours,
which shall include providing the cell phone numbers of each such
individual. All registration addresses shall be physical addresses;
post office boxes alone are insufficient.
(2)
If the address of the owner of record is not located in the County
of Atlantic, the name, address and telephone number of a person who
resides in the County of Atlantic who is authorized to accept notices
from a tenant and to issue receipts therefor and to accept service
of process on behalf of the owner of record.
(3)
The name, address and telephone number of the managing agent of the
premises, if any.
(4)
The name, address and telephone number of the superintendent, janitor,
custodian or other individual employed by the owner of record or managing
agent to provide regular maintenance service, if any.
(5)
The name, address and telephone number and cellular telephone number
of an individual representative of the owner of record or managing
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.
(6)
The name and address of every holder of a recorded mortgage on the
premises.
(7)
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.
(8)
As to each rental unit, a specification of the exact number of sleeping
rooms contained in the rental unit and the exact number of sleeping
accommodations contained in each of the sleeping rooms, identifying
each sleeping room specifically by number and location within the
apartment or dwelling and by the square footage thereof.
(9)
The name, address and telephone number of any and all rental agencies
with the authority to lease or otherwise permit occupancy of the subject
premises.
(10)
The number of occupants or tenants occupying the rental unit.
(11)
Whether or not the landlord has conducted a tenant screening
for each new tenant and authorized adult household member.
(12)
Such other information as may be prescribed by the City on the
appropriate form or otherwise by ordinance or resolution.
B.
In addition to the registration information set forth above, Subsection A(1) through (11) above, every owner shall file with the City Clerk and provide a copy to each individual tenant by separate forms the name, age and address, including the dwelling unit number, of each occupant or tenant occupying a rental unit and a floor plan of the rental unit. These forms shall be filed with the City Clerk and shall not be available for public inspection.
The Building Code Official or his designee shall index and file
the registration form and make it reasonably available for public
inspection. In doing so, the Building Code Official or his 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. The Building Code Official
or his designee shall maintain a master index of all such registration
forms, and any person may obtain from the Building Code Official or
his designee a list of all rental units properly registered and licensed
upon payment of a fee of $25.
Every person required to file a registration form pursuant to
this chapter shall file an amended registration form within 20 days
of any change in the information required to be included thereon.
No fee shall be required for the filing of an amendment, with the
exception of a change in ownership of the premises.
The owner shall provide each occupant or tenant occupying a
rental unit with a copy of the rental registration ordinance and registration
form required by this chapter and with the Truth in Renting Handbook
published by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. This
particular provision shall not apply to any hotel, motel or guesthouse
or bed-and-breakfast registered with the State of New Jersey pursuant
to the Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law as defined in N.J.S.A. 55:13A-3.
Each licensee granted a license pursuant to this chapter shall
be permitted to lease or rent the rental unit which has been registered
and for which a license has been granted hereunder to a specific number
of registered tenants, which number shall not exceed the number which
has been computed in accordance with the following:
A.
Every room occupied for sleeping purposes by one occupant shall contain
at least 70 square feet of floor area, and every room occupied for
sleeping purposes by more than one person shall contain at least 50
square feet of floor area for each additional occupant thereof.
B.
Rental units shall not be occupied by more occupants than permitted
by the minimum occupancy area requirements of Table 1.
|
Table 1
Minimum Occupancy Area Requirements
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Space
|
1 to 2 Occupants
(area in square feet)
|
3 to 5 Occupants
(area in square feet)
|
6 or More Occupants
(area in square feet)
| |
|
Living room
|
No requirements
|
120
|
150
| |
|
Dining room
|
No requirements
|
80
|
100
| |
|
Kitchen
|
50
|
50
|
60
| |
|
Bedrooms
|
Shall comply with § 205-12A
| |||
C.
Combined living room and dining room spaces shall comply with the
requirements of Table 1 if the total area is equal to that required
for separate rooms and if the space is so located that it functions
as a combination living room/dining room.
D.
Decks/porches. The maximum allowable occupancy on any deck shall
be one person per nine square feet.
A.
It shall be unlawful and a violation of this chapter for an owner,
permittee, lessor or registered tenant of any registered dwelling
to allow a number of people greater than the maximum number of occupants
listed on the registration form. It shall also be a violation of this
chapter for the owner, permittee, lessor or registered tenant to lease
a dwelling unit to a number or group of tenants which exceeds the
total number of sleeping accommodations which has been set forth in
the permit for which application was made under this chapter. It shall
also be unlawful for an owner, permittee, lessor or registered tenant
to allow a number of people greater than the maximum number of people
permitted to occupy the decks or porches of a dwelling unit.
B.
The New Jersey State Police and/or the officials of the City Code
Enforcement Office are authorized to issue a summons for a violation
of this chapter to any owner, permittee, lessor or registered tenant
found to be in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter.
No rental unit may be registered and no license shall be issued
for any property containing a rental unit unless all municipal taxes,
water and sewer charges and other municipal assessments are current.
A.
At each change of occupancy of any rental unit, the record owner
or owners of the premises shall be required to conduct a tenant screening
for the new inhabitants of the unit. Such screening shall include
the substantial equivalent of the following:
(1)
A check for activity in the Landlord/Tenant Section of the Special
Civil Part of the Superior Court of the State of New Jersey for the
county of the tenant's last residence for a period of three years.
(2)
All records of any conviction for any offense in the Municipal Court
of the municipality of the resident's last residence for a period
of three years.
(3)
All records of any conviction for any offense in the Superior Court
of the State of New Jersey for the county of the resident's last
residence for a period of three years.
B.
Proof of an adequate screening shall be a letter indicating that
such a screening was completed by a reputable tenant screening company
or organization. Such a letter must be dated and shall be prepared
by a screening company or organization.
C.
No certificate of occupancy shall issue unless proof of an adequate
screening has been provided or unless the license applicant indicates
in writing his or her refusal to submit proof of a screening.
A.
The inspection officers are hereby authorized to make inspections
to determine the condition of rental facilities, rental units and
rooming/boardinghouses in order that they may promote the purposes
of this chapter to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of the
occupants of rental facilities, rental units and rooming/boardinghouses
and of the general public. For the purposes of making such inspections,
the inspecting officers are hereby authorized to enter, examine and
survey rental facilities, rental units, and rooming/boardinghouses
after giving 48 hours' notice unless there is an emergency requiring
immediate access. The owner or occupant of every rental facility,
rental unit, and rooming/boardinghouse shall give the inspecting officer
free access to the rental facility, rental unit, and rooming/boardinghouse
at all reasonable times for the purpose of such inspections, examinations
and surveys, including inspections of the registration forms and other
forms required to be supplied to each tenant.
B.
Every occupant shall give the owner of the rental facility, rental
unit and rooming/boardinghouse access to any part of such rental facility,
rental unit and rooming/boardinghouse after giving 48 hours' notice
unless there is an emergency requiring immediate access for the purpose
of making such repairs or alterations as are necessary to effect compliance
with the provisions of this chapter or any lawful order issued pursuant
thereto.
C.
Within 10 days of the receipt of the complaint alleging a reported
violation of this chapter, an inspection officer shall conduct an
inspection as hereinbefore provided.
A.
Only those occupants whose names are on file with the City Clerk
as provided in this chapter may reside in the licensed premises. It
shall be unlawful for any other person to reside in said premises,
and this provision may be enforced against the landlord, tenant, or
other person residing in said premises.
B.
No rental facility shall be conducted in a manner which shall result
in any unreasonable disturbance or disruption to the surrounding properties
and property owners or the public in general such that it shall constitute
a nuisance as defined in the ordinances of the City.
C.
The maintenance of all rental facilities and the conduct engaged
in upon the premises by occupants and their guests shall at all times
be in full compliance with all applicable ordinances and regulations
of the City and state and federal laws.
D.
Any landlord, tenant, or other person violating the provisions of
this section shall be subject to the penalty provisions of this chapter.
A.
Grounds. In addition to any other penalty prescribed herein, an owner
may be subject to the revocation or suspension of the rental license
issued hereunder upon the occurrence of one or more of the following:
(1)
Conviction of a violation of this chapter in the Municipal Court
or other court of competent jurisdiction.
(3)
Renting the unit to a tenant who is convicted of two or more violations,
during the course of their tenancy, of the ordinances of the City.
(4)
Permitting the rental unit to be occupied by more than the maximum
number of occupants as defined herein.
(5)
Maintaining the rental unit or units or the property on which the
rental unit is located in a dangerous condition likely to result in
injury to persons or property.
(6)
A rental license issued under this chapter shall be suspended and
considered revoked if taxes or other assessments are delinquent for
three consecutive quarters. Upon payment of such delinquent taxes
or assessments, the license or permit shall be restored, upon new
inspections for occupancy taking place.
B.
Procedure; complaint; referral to Port Republic Municipal Court.
A complaint seeking the revocation or suspension of a license may
be filed by one or more of the following: the New Jersey State Police,
Construction Code Official or Zoning Enforcement Officer. Such complaint
shall be by summons filed with the Port Republic Municipal Court for
prosecution in due course. The individuals filing the complaint may
do so on the basis of information and belief and need not rely on
personal information.
C.
Defenses. It shall be a defense to any proceeding for the revocation,
suspension, or other disciplinary action involving the rental license
by a demonstration that the owner has abated the conditions or circumstances
giving rise to the revocation proceeding, including, but not limited
to, the institution of legal action against the tenant(s), occupant(s)
or guest(s) for the recovery of the premises, eviction of the tenant(s)
or otherwise, and has submitted proof of adequate tenant screening
in accordance with this chapter.
In addition to the penalties set forth in N.J.S.A. 46:8-35,
any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall, upon
conviction in the Port Republic Municipal Court or such other court
having jurisdiction, be liable for a minimum fine of $250 (or higher
if permitted by Court order) and a maximum fine not to exceed $2,000
or imprisonment or community service not exceeding 90 days, or any
combination thereof. Each day that the violation occurs shall be considered
a separate and distinct violation subject to the penalty provisions
of this chapter. Any person who is convicted of violating this chapter
within one year of the date of the previous violation of this chapter
and who was fined for same shall be sentenced by the Court to an additional
fine as a repeat offender, calculated separately from the fine imposed
for the violation of this chapter.
Any of the violations referred to in this chapter may be enforced,
as applicable, by the New Jersey State Police, the Building Department
or such other persons having such authority by law.
