Bill Text: NJ A2208 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Extends time period for tenants receiving federal housing choice voucher program assistance to locate new housing after landlord sells property.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Housing Committee [A2208 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A2208-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman BARBARA MCCANN STAMATO
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Extends time period for tenants receiving federal housing choice voucher program assistance to locate new housing after landlord sells property.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act relating to federal housing choice voucher program administration and supplementing chapter 27D of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Department of Community Affairs shall establish a standard initial period of at least 180 calendar days for a household in this State to locate new housing under the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, established pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1437f, if the household is required to vacate their rental unit as a result of the sale or transfer of the property by the landlord. The standard initial term shall be stated on the voucher. The standard initial period established by the department pursuant to this section shall apply to each qualified Public Housing Agency within the meaning of 42 U.S.C. 1437f and 24 C.F.R. s.5.100 in the State, including a housing authority established pursuant to section 17 of P.L.1992, c.79 (C.40A:12A-17). The department, in its role as a qualified Public Housing Agency within the meaning of 42 U.S.C. 1437f and 24 C.F.R. s.5.100, may grant a household one or more extensions of the initial period.
2. The Commissioner of Community Affairs shall promulgate rules and regulations, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1, et seq.), that are necessary to effectuate the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), which shall include changes to the department's administrative plan pursuant to 24 C.F.R. s.982.54 that are consistent with P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month next following enactment, except that the Commissioner of Community Affairs may take such anticipatory action as may be necessary to implement the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Department of Community Affairs (department) to establish a standard initial period of at least 180 calendar days for a household in this State to locate new housing under the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly referred to as the "Section 8 Voucher Program," if the household is required to vacate their rental unit as a result of the sale or transfer of the property by the landlord. This new 180-day standard would apply to the department and other entities in the State that serve as Public Housing Agencies for the purposes of the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
Under current law, the initial period of time for a household to locate acceptable housing is 60 calendar days. If the household is unable to locate acceptable housing by that date, the household may submit a request for an extension, which may be granted at the discretion of the department. Under the department's current Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan, a cumulative total of 180 days may be considered for certain households, and a cumulative total of 240 days may be considered for certain households with a member who is a person with a disability.
