SENATE COMMUNITY AND URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 290

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 5, 2024

      The Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 290.

      This bill extends the protected tenancy period for certain tenants who are senior citizens and certain tenants with a disability pursuant to the "Senior Citizens and Disabled Protected Tenancy Act," P.L.1981, c.226 (C.2A:18-61.22 et al.) (act).  Pursuant to the act, the protected tenancy period statutorily expires 40 years after the conversion recording for the building or structure in which a senior citizen tenant’s, or disabled tenant’s, dwelling unit is located.  Accordingly, since the act was enacted in 1981, the protected tenancy period has started to expire for many tenants.  This bill extends the protected tenancy period to the lifetime of those tenants who are senior citizens and those tenants with a disability.

      The extension of the protections provided pursuant to the bill are necessary in the service of the public interest, as life expectancies have continued to increase in the United States since the initial enactment of the act, in order to protect senior citizen tenants and tenants with a disability from harmful disruptions in their living conditions later in life. 

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.