Pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:49-5.1, the New Jersey State
Housing Code, as approved by the Department of Health and Conservation and
Economic Development, and filed in the Secretary of State’s office,
is hereby accepted, adopted and established as a standard to be used as a
guide in determining whether dwellings in the Township of Springfield are
safe, sanitary and fit for human habitation and rental. A copy of the New
Jersey State Housing Code is annexed to this chapter and three copies of the
code have been placed on file in the office of the Township Clerk and are
available to all persons desiring to use and examine same.
This chapter together with the New Jersey State Housing Code shall be
known as the “Housing Code of the Township of Springfield,” and
is hereinafter referred to as the “code.”
The Construction Code Official shall be designated as the officer to
exercise the powers prescribed in this chapter, and shall serve in such capacity
and with such salary as prescribed by ordinance.
The Construction Code Official is authorized and empowered to make and
adopt such written rules and regulations as (s)he may deem necessary for the
proper enforcement of the provisions of this chapter; provided, however, that
such rules and regulations shall not be in conflict with the provisions of
this chapter, nor in any way alter, amend or supersede any of the provisions
thereof. The Construction Code Official shall file a certified copy of all
rules and regulations which (s)he may adopt in his/her office and in the office
of the Township Clerk.
No person shall occupy as owner/occupant or rent to another for occupancy
any dwelling or dwelling unit for the purpose of living therein which does
not conform to the provisions of the code established herein as the standard
to be used in determining whether a dwelling is safe, sanitary and fit for
human habitation. No person shall rent to another for occupancy any dwelling
or dwelling unit for the purpose of living therein without first having had
the premises to be let inspected by the Construction Code Official. Such person
proposing to rent premises shall submit a written request to the Construction
Code Official, setting forth the location of the premises to be rented, the
date upon which occupancy is to be taken of the premises by prospective tenants
and the name of the person to whom (s)he intends to rent the premises. The
Construction Code Official shall, within 48 hours after the receipt of such
written request, make inspection of the premises as requested. The Construction
Code Official shall make a written report of his/her inspection and shall
give copies of such report to the owner of the premises, to the person who
proposes to rent the premises and to the Township Clerk and shall retain one
copy. In the event the Construction Code Official determines, as a result
of such inspection, that the premises are unfit for human habitation, and
the owner rents the property without taking the necessary corrective measures
or the person to whom the property is to be rented actually enters into occupancy
of the premises, the owner and the occupant shall be in violation of this
chapter and subject to the penalties provided for in this Code.
For the purpose of this chapter, the Construction Code Official may
determine that a dwelling is unfit for human habitation if (s)he finds that
conditions exist in such dwelling which are dangerous or injurious to the
health or safety of the occupants of such dwelling, the occupants of neighboring
dwellings or other residents of the Township. Such conditions may include,
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, defects therein increasing
the hazards of fire, accident or other calamities, lack of adequate ventilation,
light or sanitary facilities, dilapidation, disrepair, structural defects
or uncleanliness.