[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Runnemede as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building code — See Ch. 99.
Uniform construction codes — See Ch. 120.
Unfit dwellings — See Ch. 146.
Property maintenance — See Ch. 281.
Property registration — See Ch. 282.
Vacant and abandoned property — See Ch. 283.
[Adopted 11-7-2018 by Ord. No. 18-10]
A. 
The State of New Jersey adopted the New Jersey State House Code, N.J.A.C. 5:28-1 et seq., that constitutes the standards to guide public officers, such as the Camden County Health Officer, and/or their agents, in determining the fitness of a building for human habitation, use or occupancy.
B. 
The Borough of Runnemede hereby adopts by this chapter the New Jersey State Housing Code, N.J.A.C. 5:28-1 et seq., which shall be standards to determine the fitness of buildings for human habitation, use or occupancy in the Borough of Runnemede.
The above-referred-to Housing Code may be enforced by the Camden County Health Officer, or their agents.
Three copies of the New Jersey Housing Code, N.J.A.C. 5:28-1 et seq., have been placed on file in the office of the Runnemede·Borough Clerk upon introduction and will remain on file there for the use and examination of the public.
[Adopted 8-26-2025 by Ord. No. 25-09]
The following definitions shall apply to this chapter:
ACT
The Lead Hazard Control Assistance Act, P.L.2003 c.311 (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-437.1, et seq.), as may be amended from time to time.
COMMON AREA
The interior portions of a building used for residential rental purposes that are generally accessible to residential tenants, but not including the interior of individual dwelling units. Common areas shall include, but not be limited to, hallways, stairs, foyers, basements, laundry rooms, and the interior of attached or detached garages, if the areas are generally accessible to residential tenants and the areas are not located within the interior of an individual dwelling unit.
COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITY
A real estate development or neighborhood in which the property is burdened by servitudes requiring property owners to contribute to maintenance of commonly held property or to pay dues or assessments to an owners' association that provides services or facilities to the community.
DUST WIPE SAMPLING
A sample collected by wiping a representative surface and tested in accordance with a method approved by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
DWELLING UNIT
A single-family living space, including a single-family home, or an apartment, room, or rooms within a two-family or multiple-family building, that is occupied or intended to be occupied for sleeping or dwelling purposes by one or more persons living independently of persons in similar dwelling units.
LEAD INSPECTOR
A person certified by the department of community affairs to perform lead inspection and risk assessment work pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:17-1.1, et seq. This includes the ability to perform dust wipe sampling.
LEAD-BASED PAINT HAZARD
Any condition that causes exposure to lead from lead-contaminated dust or lead-contaminated paint that is deteriorated or present in surfaces that would result in adverse human health effects.
LEAD-FREE CERTIFICATION
A certification which confirms that a lead-based paint inspection was performed and that no lead-based paint exists in the dwelling unit or that all lead-based paint hazards have been fully abated.
LEAD-SAFE CERTIFICATION
A certification which confirms that a lead-based paint inspection was performed and no lead-based paint hazards were found. This certification is valid for two years from the date of issuance.
TENANT TURNOVER
The time at which all existing occupants vacate a dwelling unit and all new tenants move into the dwelling unit.
VISUAL ASSESSMENT
A visual examination for deteriorated paint or visible surface dust, debris, or residue.
VISUAL ASSESSOR
A person that is certified to perform a visual assessment.
A. 
The owner and/or landlord of every single-family, two-family, and multiple rental dwelling located within the Borough of Runnemede shall cause their property to be inspected for lead-based paint hazards, through visual assessment and dust wipe sampling in accordance with the Act. The owner and/or landlord, in lieu of having the dwelling inspected by a Borough lead inspector, may directly hire a private lead inspector to perform the lead-based paint inspection. All inspections will otherwise be performed by one of the state and Borough's approved lead inspection agencies.
B. 
An initial inspection for lead-based paint hazards shall occur before July 22, 2024, or at tenant turnover, whichever is earlier. Thereafter, all such dwelling units shall be inspected at tenant turnover, or every three years, whichever is earlier.
A. 
In accordance with the Act, a dwelling unit in a single-family, two-family, or multiple rental dwelling shall not be subject to inspection and evaluation for the presence of lead-based paint hazards if the unit:
(1) 
Has been certified to be free of lead-based paint;
(2) 
Was constructed during or after 1978;
(3) 
Is in a multiple dwelling that has been registered with the department of community affairs as a multiple dwelling for at least 10 years, either under the current or a previous owner, and has no outstanding lead violations from the most recent cyclical inspection performed on the multiple dwelling under the Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law, P.L.1967, c. 76 (N.J.S.A. SS:13A-l, et seq.);
(4) 
Is a single-family or two-family seasonal rental dwelling which is rented for less than six months duration each year by tenants that do not have consecutive lease renewals; or
(5) 
Has a valid lead-safe certification issued in accordance with this article.
If lead-based paint hazards are identified upon inspection pursuant to § 281-5, the owner and/or landlord of the dwelling unit, at his or her own cost, shall remediate the hazards through abatement or lead-based paint hazard control mechanisms, approved in accordance with the act. Upon the remediation of the lead-based paint hazard, the Borough's approved third-party lead inspector, or the owner and/or landlord's private lead inspector, shall conduct an additional inspection of the dwelling unit to certify that the hazard no longer exists.
A. 
If no lead-based paint hazards are identified, then the Borough's third party and/or certified lead inspector, or the owner and/or landlord's private lead inspector shall certify the dwelling as lead safe on a form prescribed by the Department of Community Affairs, which shall be valid for two years.
B. 
In accordance with the Act, the owner and/or landlord of every single-family, two-family, and multiple rental dwelling located within the Borough shall:
(1) 
Provide evidence of a valid lead-safe certification and the most recent tenant turnover to the Borough at the time of the cyclical inspection.
(2) 
Provide evidence of a valid lead-safe certification to new tenants of the property at the time of tenant turnover and shall affix a copy of such certification as an exhibit to the tenant's or tenants' lease.
(3) 
Maintain a record of the lead-safe certification which shall include the name(s) of the dwelling unit's tenant(s) if the inspection was conducted during a period of tenancy.
The fees for a lead-based paint inspection performed by the Borough's lead inspector shall be as follows
A. 
The fee for a dust wipe sampling inspection shall be dependent on the cost for the Borough's contractor(s), or the privately hired contractor, to perform the service.
B. 
An additional fee for the filing of a lead-safe certification or lead-free certification shall be assessed at $100 which shall be charged when scheduling the inspection, if through the Borough's contractor(s), or paid to the Borough at the time of filing if the inspection was done by a separate lead inspection entity.
C. 
In a common interest community, any inspection fee charged shall be the responsibility of the unit owner and not the homeowners' association, unless the association is the owner of the unit.
D. 
In accordance with N.J.S.A. 52:27D-437.16(h), an additional fee of $20 per dwelling unit inspected by the Borough's lead inspector or the owner and/or landlord's private lead inspector shall be assessed for the purposes of the act, unless the owner and/or landlord demonstrates that the Department of Community Affairs has already assessed an additional inspection fee of $20. The fees collected pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited into the lead hazard control assistance fund.
(1) 
Example (for illustrative purposes only): If a lead inspection contractor provides an inspection rate of $200 per unit, the Borough charges a filing fee of $100, the state requires an additional $20 payment per unit, the total fee for one unit is:
(a) 
Third party inspection agency (example only, actual cost shall apply): $200.
(b) 
Borough-filing fee: $100
(c) 
State fee: $20.
In accordance with the Act, the penalties for a violation of this chapter shall be as follows:
A. 
Borough shall be authorized to conduct investigations and issue penalties to enforce a property owner's failure to comply with a provision of P.L.2021 c.182, N.J.S.A 52:27D-437.16 et seq. or this article regarding a rental dwelling unit owned by the property owner.
B. 
If an owner and/or landlord has failed to conduct the required inspection or initiate any remediation efforts, the owner and/or landlord shall be given 30 days to cure the violation.
C. 
the owner and/or landlord has not cured the violation after 30 days, the owner and/or landlord shall be subject to a penalty not to exceed $1,000 per week until the required inspection has been conducted or remediation efforts have been initiated.
Ordinances, resolutions, regulations, or parts of ordinances, resolutions and regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistencies.