Bill > S4861

Introduced Session

This bill adds additional powers to the authority granted to the Director of the Division of Local Government Services (director) in the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), pursuant to the "Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act," P.L.2016, c.4 (C.52:27BBBB-1 et seq.). Specifically, the bill requires the director, in consultation with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1984, c.218 (C.5:12-153), to establish a pilot program to acquire abandoned properties, as determined by the director, in a municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, as determined by the director. The pilot program is to expire on December 1, 2031. The director may delegate any of the pilot program responsibilities to the Executive Director of the CRDA, except that the CRDA is to have the sole responsibility for administration of the pilot program for properties within the Atlantic City Tourism District established pursuant to the provisions of P.L.2011, c.18 (C.5:12-218 et al.). The pilot program is to permit the DCA to acquire an abandoned property through: (1) purchase or gift; or (2) the abandoned property acquisition processes established by the "Abandoned Properties Rehabilitation Act," (APRA) P.L.2003, 210 (C.55:19-78 et al.). The bill requires the director, or Executive Director of the CRDA, as applicable, to establish and maintain a list of abandoned properties, as defined in section 4 of P.L.2003, c.210 (C.55:19-81), by compiling the tax rolls, ground surveys, and any abandoned property list maintained pursuant to the APRA by the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery until the expiration of the pilot program. The bill provides that, once the director deems the list of abandoned properties complete, the director is to formally designate any property that meets the requirements of being abandoned, pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2003, c.210 (C.55:19-81), as abandoned if the property was not previously designated as abandoned by the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, and shall use this list in any action to transfer title of the property to the DCA. The director may conduct, or contract to conduct, rehabilitation or demolition services on any property on the abandoned property list where the DCA has been granted title and the director deems in need of rehabilitation or demolition. The redevelopment consultant appointed by the director is to expedite the permitting approval process for any permits concerning the rehabilitation or demolition of vacant properties. The bill provides that an abandoned property the director deems habitable is to be subject to a tax sale, sheriff sale, or other property auction within one year of a property's designation as abandoned, or within six months of the effective date of the bill for properties that have been previously designated as abandoned by the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery. An abandoned property the director determines is in need of rehabilitation or demolition is to be subject to a tax sale, sheriff sale, or other property auction after the required work is completed or three years from the date the DCA takes possession of the property's title, whichever is earlier. The commissioner is to submit, for the duration of the pilot program, and in consultation with the Executive Director of the CRDA, a biennial report to the Governor and to the Legislature, providing certain information enumerated in the bill. The final report is to include recommendations from the redevelopment consultant appointed by the director concerning prospective changes to planning and zoning board development and redevelopment processes in the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery. Within six months of the effective date of the bill, the director, in collaboration with the Executive Director of the CRDA, is to develop a land bank agreement pursuant to the "New Jersey Land Bank Law," sections 1 through 16 of P.L.2019, c.159 (C.40A:12A-74 et seq.). The land bank agreement is to establish the responsibilities of a land bank entity in acquiring property on behalf of the director in a municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, in addition to any other responsibilities deemed necessary by the director. The director is to determine whether the land bank entity subject to the agreement is to be the DCA, a "nonprofit land bank entity," as defined in section 3 of P.L.2019, c.159 (C.40A:12A-76), or a municipality in need of stabilization and recovery. The director, in collaboration with a municipality in need of stabilization and recovery and the CRDA, is to determine the date of establishment of the land bank in accordance with the land bank agreement developed pursuant to the bill. The redevelopment consultant is to serve as the executive director of the land bank. Lastly, the bill amends the "Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act" to require the director to appoint a redevelopment consultant, who is to be a resident of the municipality in need of stabilization and recovery, within 30 days of the enactment of this bill.

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John Burzichelli (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee (on 10/22/2026)

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Official Document