Members of Compassionate NJ, comprising housing advocates and community leaders, join Gov. Phil Murphy and other elected officials to witness the enactment of pandemic eviction protection measures.
UNION CITY, NJ — On Aug. 4, Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation that will provide comprehensive housing eviction prevention and utility assistance for renters who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation, S-3691, appropriates an additional $500 million for the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program and $250 million for utility assistance, both programs administered by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. The bill also mandates new eviction and foreclosure moratorium deadlines and special eviction protections for tenants who were directly impacted by the pandemic. This legislation will ensure that New Jersey’s eviction moratorium continues through August for all state residents with household incomes below 120 percent area median income and through the end of the year for certain households with incomes below 80 percent AMI. The Aug. 3 announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extending the nationwide moratorium on evictions for 60 days may provide additional protections for certain residents.
The governor also signed legislation A-4463, providing additional protections for individuals who were unable to pay rent during the public health emergency by mandating that court records pertaining to their nonpayment during this period be kept confidential.
“We have heard the continuing calls for help from New Jerseyans who are struggling to pay their rent and utilities. COVID-19 has put tenants and landlords in a difficult place, and I am pleased to say that more assistance is on the way,” Murphy said. “This bill is going to direct money to the people and programs that need it most. Housing and access to utilities are fundamental to human health and safety and we want to ensure that as many eligible applicants impacted by the pandemic get the help they need during this challenging time.”
“This comprehensive eviction protections bill is the result of some of the best and brightest minds coming together to find practical and realistic solutions for the struggling renters and landlords who have faced unprecedented circumstances during this pandemic,” Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver said. “As DCA commissioner, I’m aware of the daily struggle that people are facing in finding and keeping housing and our team at DCA is prepared to continue to administer housing and utility assistance to them. I’m in full support of the actions laid out in this bill package to make their lives easier as we financially recover from the pandemic.”
“This measure provides a lifeline to people who need it most at a time of real crisis. It will help prevent renters from losing the safety and security of their homes and allow landlords to continue to maintain their properties in a safe and secure way,” state Senate President Steve Sweeney said. “It’s real eviction prevention because it backs up housing protections with finances so tenants aren’t burdened with debt and landlords aren’t forced into bankruptcy. Housing and utilities are essential needs that should be protected as we continue to work to emerge from the most challenging crisis of our lifetime.”
The eviction prevention bill will gradually phase out the state’s eviction moratorium based on individual renters’ situations while mandating special protections for those who were unable to pay their rent during the period of March 1, 2020, through Aug. 31, 2021, or, for certain tenants, through Dec. 31, 2021.
Murphy also signed Executive Order No. 249, which updates the moratorium on evictions established under Executive Order No. 106 in 2020 to be aligned with these new laws.
The new funds appropriated through S-3691 bring the total funds allocated to the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program and Eviction Prevention Program to more than $1.2 billion.
The DCA Division of Housing and Community Resources also announced Aug. 4 that it has reached the milestone of delivering more than $100 million in federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds throughout the state with nearly $131 million in rental relief having been distributed to more than 15,000 households to date.
Murphy signs sweeping housing eviction prevention and utility assistance bill added by Editor on
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