The Compliance Division oversees redevelopment agreement and tax abatement compliance. It assists homeowners who need to register their homes in order to receive a certificate of habitability. It assists developers that require a certificate of completion after purchasing property through through the property management office and have completed their project. The Office works to ensure that developers have complied with their contract agreements in order to avoid defaulting. It works with the engineering department, water and tax department s to ensure that payments are up to date.

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NEWARK REQUIRES REGISTRATION OF ALL RENTAL PROPERTIES

A City ordinance now requires landlords to register all rental units with the City’s Department of Economic and Housing Development. With a substantial number of units previously not subject to registration by the City, this ordinance requires every currently rented unit in Newark to be registered. In this way, the City gains up-to-date contact information from landlords.

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The data will facilitate communications among the landlords, their tenants and the City to remedy code violations, address property neglect, and provide timely responses for emergencies, including unsafe situations and utility problems. The ordinance thwarts attempts to hide behind anonymous LLCs that can’t be contacted by their tenants or by the City,

Landlords must now supply the City and tenants with contact information for themselves, for those responsible for regular maintenance, as well as those providing fuel and 24/7 emergency service for each unit in their buildings. The property owner must also permit the City to inspect each rental unit at least once every three years or upon a change in occupancy to ensure that the property complies with all state and local laws and regulations.

When in compliance, the landlord receives a Certificate of Habitability which permits the property to be rented. Once a rental unit is registered and a Certificate of Habitability issued, the registration is effective so long as the occupancy of the rental unit and the information necessary to obtain the certificate has not changed. In the event of an unsatisfactory inspection, the property will not receive a Certificate of Habitability and must not be leased until the conditions have been corrected. The Certificate can be suspended or revoked if the rental unit is occupied by more than the maximum number of tenants allowed by law or if the property is dangerous.

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