Bill > A1412

Introduced Session

This bill provides that a municipal zoning ordinance may specify areas of the municipality within which all buildings and structures are required to be exclusively used for residential purposes. Additionally, the bill authorizes a municipal zoning ordinance to further specify areas in each exclusively residential district within which buildings and structures, or parts thereof, may be rented for a short term as a transient accommodation, so long as the total land area in which property may be rented for a short term as a transient accommodation does not exceed 25 percent of the municipality's total land area. The bill also prohibits buildings and structures, and parts thereof, located within areas zoned exclusively for residential purposes from being rented for a short term as a transient accommodation, unless the municipal zoning ordinance specifically authorizes the use of that building or structure as a transient accommodation. A person who violates the provisions of this bill would be liable to pay a civil penalty of not less than $500 for a first offense, not more than $1,000 for a second offense and not more than $1,500 for a third and every subsequent offense. Penalties are to be collected in a summary proceeding before a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to the provisions of the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.). An action for the recovery of a civil penalty for a violation under the bill, or under an ordinance adopted pursuant thereto, is within the jurisdiction of, and may be brought before, the Superior Court or municipal court for the municipality in which the property is located. All monies collected pursuant to the bill or an ordinance adopted pursuant thereto, are to be forwarded to the municipality in which the property is located. The bill allows a municipality to use an amount equivalent to the costs reasonably incurred in administering and enforcing the bill and to deposit that amount into the general fund of the municipality. The bill further requires a municipality to use the balance of the amount collected for low-income housing or moderate-income housing needs, as defined in section 4 of P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-304), and to deposit the balance of the amount collected into the municipality's affordable housing trust fund, to the extent the municipality maintains such a fund, and if the municipality does not maintain such a fund, to the State Treasurer, for appropriation to the "New Jersey Affordable Housing Trust Fund" for the purpose of developing and supporting housing programs that create for-sale and rental affordable housing.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Ellen Park (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Housing Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document