§2 - Note
An Act concerning maintenance of 1vacant1 residential properties during foreclosure and 1[supplementing Title 40 of the Revised Statutes] amending P.L.2008, c.1271.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1[1. a. A creditor that serves a notice of intention to foreclose on a mortgage on residential property in this State pursuant to the "Fair Foreclosure Act," P.L.1995, c.244 (C.2A:50-53 et seq.), shall serve the public officer of the municipality in which the property is located, or, if the municipality has not designated a public officer pursuant to P.L.1942, c.112 (C.40:48-2.3 et seq.), the municipal clerk, with a copy of the notice at the same time that the creditor serves the notice on the owner of the property. The creditor shall include the full name and contact information of a person located within the State who is authorized to accept service on behalf of the creditor with the copy of the notice served on the public officer or municipal clerk.
b. If the residential property becomes vacant at any time after the creditor files the notice of intention to foreclose, but prior to vesting of title in any third party, and the municipality determines that the property is in violation of any applicable State or local housing code, the municipality may notify the creditor of the violation, by providing a copy of the notice to the person located within the State who is authorized to accept service on behalf of the creditor, and may require the creditor to correct the violation.
c. A municipality that requires a creditor to correct a violation pursuant to this act shall include a description of the conditions that gave rise to the violation with the notice of violation and shall provide a period of not less than 30 days from the creditor's receipt of the notice for the creditor to remedy the violation. If the creditor fails to remedy the violation within that time period, the municipality may impose penalties allowed for the violation of municipal ordinances pursuant to R.S.40:49-5.
d. For the purposes of this section, "creditor" means a federal or State chartered bank, savings bank, savings and loan association or credit union, any person required to be licensed under the provisions of the "New Jersey Licensed Lenders Act," P.L.1996, c.157 (C.17:11C-1 et seq.), and any entity acting on behalf of the creditor named in the debt obligation including, but not limited to, servicers.]1
11. Section 17 of P.L.2008, c.127 (C.46:10B-51) is amended to read as follows:
17. a. (1) A creditor serving a summons and complaint in an action to foreclose on a mortgage on residential property in this State shall, within 10 days of serving the summons and complaint, notify the municipal clerk of the municipality in which the property is located that a summons and complaint in an action to foreclose on a mortgage has been filed against the subject property. The notice shall contain the name and contact information for the representative of the creditor who is responsible for receiving complaints of property maintenance and code violations, may contain information about more than one property, and shall be provided by mail or electronic communication, at the discretion of the municipal clerk. If the municipality has appointed a public officer pursuant to P.L.1942, c.112 (C.40:48-2.3 et seq.), the municipal clerk shall forward a copy of the notice to the public officer or shall otherwise provide it to any other local official responsible for administration of any property maintenance or public nuisance code.
In the event that the property being foreclosed on is an affordable unit pursuant to the "Fair Housing Act," P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.), then the creditor shall identify that the property is subject to the "Fair Housing Act."
The notice shall also include the street address, lot and block number of the property, and the full name and contact information of an individual located within the State who is authorized to accept service on behalf of the creditor. The notice shall be provided to the municipal clerk within 10 days of service of a summons and complaint in an action to foreclose on a mortgage against the subject property.
(2) Within 30 days following the effective date of P.L.2009, c.296 (C.2A:50-69 et al.), any creditor that has initiated a foreclosure proceeding on any residential property which is pending in Superior Court shall provide to the municipal clerk of the municipality in which the property is located, a listing of all residential properties in the municipality for which the creditor has foreclosure actions pending by street address and lot and block number. If the municipality has appointed a public officer pursuant to P.L.1942, c.112 (C.40:48-2.3 et seq.), the municipal clerk shall forward a copy of the notice to the public officer, or shall otherwise provide it to any other local official responsible for administration of any property maintenance or public nuisance code.
b. If the owner of a residential property vacates or abandons any property on which a foreclosure proceeding has been initiated or if a residential property becomes vacant at any point subsequent to the creditor's filing the summons and complaint in an action to foreclose on a mortgage against the subject property, but prior to vesting of title in the creditor or any other third party, and the property is found to be a nuisance or in violation of any applicable State or local code, the local public officer, municipal clerk, or other authorized municipal official shall notify the creditor, which shall have the responsibility to abate the nuisance or correct the violation in the same manner and to the same extent as the title owner of the property, to such standard or specification as may be required by State law or municipal ordinance. The municipality shall include a description of the conditions that gave rise to the violation with the notice of violation and shall provide a period of not less than 30 days from the creditor's receipt of the notice for the creditor to remedy the violation. If the creditor fails to remedy the violation within that time period, the municipality may impose penalties allowed for the violation of municipal ordinances pursuant to R.S.40:49-5.
c. If the municipality expends public funds in order to abate a nuisance or correct a violation on a residential property in situations in which the creditor was given notice pursuant to the provisions of subsection b. of this section but failed to abate the nuisance or correct the violation as directed, the municipality shall have the same recourse against the creditor as it would have against the title owner of the property, including but not limited to the recourse provided under section 23 of P.L.2003, c.210 (C.55:19-100).1
(cf: P.L.2009, c.296, s.5)
2. This act shall take effect 60 days following enactment.
Authorizes municipalities to impose penalties on creditors that fail to timely remedy code violations of certain properties in foreclosure.