There is hereby established a Residential Dwelling Rental Relief
Fund for the purpose of providing temporary financial rental assistance
to persons who can demonstrate a genuine need or hardship in meeting
their rental payment obligations through no fault of their own. The
Residential Rent Relief Fund shall be administered by the Housing
Commission in accordance with the terms and conditions of this chapter
and the Local Fiscal Affairs Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:5-1 et seq.
Funds from the Residential Dwelling Rental Relief Fund may be
utilized to provide tenant-based temporary financial rental assistance
to applicants residing in the Township of Montclair who can demonstrate
a genuine need or hardship in meeting their rental payment obligations
through no fault of their own. Monies paid from the Residential Dwelling
Rental Relief Fund shall be paid to landlords on behalf of qualifying
individuals/households. For purposes of this chapter, an applicant
shall demonstrate genuine need or hardship based on a household income
at or below 80% of the area median income, as determined by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, where at least one member
has been unemployed or subject to reduced income for the ninety-day
period preceding the date of the application. The applicant must establish
proof of residency and shall be subject to income verification. The
Housing Commission may request additional information from an applicant
as necessary to process and/or approve an application pursuant to
this chapter.
Subject to §
29A-3, the Housing Commission shall, on a case-by-case basis, establish the maximum amounts and lengths of terms of eligibility for temporary rental assistance necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
The Manager, upon recommendation of the Housing Commission,
may promulgate such rules and regulations that are necessary to govern
the administration of the Residential Dwelling Rent Relief Fund. No
such rules or regulations shall become effective until filed in the
office of the Township Clerk. The Township Clerk shall arrange for
the prompt publication of said rules and regulations after same have
been filed. In the event of a conflict between this chapter and any
such rules and regulations, this chapter shall control.
On the date that is 20 years following the effective date of
this chapter, authorization for the Residential Dwelling Rent Relief
Fund shall sunset, and the Fund shall terminate. Any unexpended balance
in the Fund as of that date shall be remitted to the Township for
use, in its sole discretion, in its operating budget. In the event
the Fund is depleted before it sunsets, the Fund shall automatically
terminate. The Township is not obligated or required to replenish
the Fund at any time prior to its depletion under any circumstance.