Bill Text: NJ S4450 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Facilitates changes to certain terms of State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy due to increase in household members, emergency conditions, and financial barriers faced by head-of-household.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-15 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee [S4450 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S4450-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator BRITNEE N. TIMBERLAKE
District 34 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Facilitates changes to certain terms of State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy due to increase in household members, emergency conditions, and financial barriers faced by head-of-household.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act facilitating changes to certain terms of State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy and supplementing and amending P.L.2004, c.140.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) As used in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Community Affairs.
"Credit inquiry" means an inquiry into a person's credit history that may cause information to be recorded on an individual's consumer report for a period greater than 30 days or that may have an impact on an individual's credit score.
"Department" means the Department of Community Affairs.
"Housing authority" means a housing authority created or continued pursuant to the "Local Redevelopment and Housing Law," P.L.1992, c.79 (C.40A:12A-1 et seq.).
"State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy" means a tenant-based subsidy, enabled pursuant to a State or federal tenant-based housing program, administered by the department, and available to low- or moderate-income households, including but not limited to section 3 of P.L.2004, c.140 (C.52:27D-287.3), commonly known as the State rental assistance program, or the federal section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. A "State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy" shall include a subsidy issued through a housing authority.
"Subsidy holder" means a household that has been provided with a State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy.
"Verified increase in household members" means an increase in the number of persons who comprise a household due to: the birth or adoption of a child; a dependent child joining the household; the establishment of a legal guardian or custody relationship; the return of a family member to a household; or other reasons established by the rules and regulations adopted by the commissioner pursuant to section 7 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
2. (New section) a. The commissioner, in coordination with the housing authorities in the State, shall establish an application process to permit a household to efficiently apply to adjust the amount of a State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy when a household experiences a verified increase in household members. The application process shall require documentation of the new household member and verification of residency. The application process shall allow for:
(1) changes to a subsidy's value; and
(2) changes to the housing unit size permitted for the subsidy holder.
b. The department shall prioritize a request made pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) to adjust the amount of a State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy in circumstances that may require a subsidy holder to relocate due to potential violations of overcrowding standards.
3. (New section) a. The commissioner, in coordination with the housing authorities in the State, shall authorize an expedited reassignment of the head-of-household designation for a State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy, within the same household, when emergency circumstances or financial barriers prevent the household from securing or maintaining safe housing. The commissioner shall establish an application process to facilitate an expedited reassignment of the head-of-household designation.
(1) An application for an expedited reassignment of the head-of-household designation shall be approved when a subsidy holder household experiences an emergency circumstance or financial barrier, including, but not limited to:
(a) poor credit history; or
(b) prior rental debt.
(2) A head-of-household designation shall not be reassigned to another member of the same subsidy holder household, pursuant to this subsection, unless the prospective new head-of-household:
(a) meets program eligibility requirements;
(b) is able to satisfy conventional landlord screening standards; and
(c) is a verified member of the household, unless waived as a new household member, for reasons of hardship.
(3) The department shall permit a subsidy holder household to apply for a reassignment of the head-of-household designation while:
(a) retaining its existing eligibility, and not requiring the household to reapply for the State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy;
(b) maintaining continuous rental assistance during any relocation or lease execution; and
(c) retaining the subsidy holder household's position within the State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy program.
b. At the request of a subsidy holder, the department shall prohibit a landlord from conducting a credit inquiry on any member of the subsidy holder household, other than the head of household, when the subsidy holder household is a prospective tenant of the landlord. A landlord who violates this subsection shall be subject to a summary proceeding pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.), and the penalty shall be no less than $1,000 for an initial violation by a landlord within a one-year period, and no less than $2,000 for each subsequent violation within a one-year period.
4. (New section) The commissioner, in coordination with the housing authorities in the State, shall authorize a subsidy holder to relocate in an expedited manner when emergency circumstances place the health of safety of one or more members of the subsidy holder household at risk. The commissioner shall establish an application process to facilitate an expedited relocation pursuant to this section.
a. An application for an expedited relocation shall be approved when a subsidy holder household experiences an emergency, including, but not limited to:
(1) domestic violence, stalking, or threats to personal safety;
(2) fire, natural disaster, or building condemnation; or
(3) unsafe or uninhabitable housing conditions.
b. The department shall permit a subsidy holder household to apply for an expedited relocation, pursuant to this section, while:
(1) retaining its existing eligibility, and not requiring the household to reapply for the State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy;
(2) maintaining continuous rental assistance during relocation or lease execution; and
(3) retaining the subsidy holder household's position within the State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy program.
5. (New section) In applying the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) to the federal section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, the commissioner shall be permitted to refrain from strict compliance to any extent necessary to ensure compliance with federal law. Through the adoption of rules and regulations pursuant to section 7 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the commissioner shall provide guidance to the housing authorities in the State on how they may refrain from strict compliance with the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) for the purpose of complying with federal law.
6. Section 1 of P.L.2004, c.140 (C.52:27D-287.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. The Commissioner of Community Affairs shall establish a State rental assistance program for low income individuals or households. This program shall be in addition to and supplement any existing programs established pursuant to the "Prevention of Homelessness Act (1984)," P.L.1984, c.180 (C.52:27D-280 et al.).
a. The program shall provide rental assistance grants comparable to the federal section 8 program, but shall be available only to State residents who are not currently holders of federal section 8 vouchers.
b. Assistance to an individual or household under the State program shall be terminated upon the award of federal section 8 rental assistance to the same individual or household.
c. The program shall reserve a portion of the grants for assistance to senior citizens aged 62 or older who otherwise meet the criteria of subsection a. of this section.
d. The program shall reserve a portion of the grants for assistance to veterans who have successfully completed the Veterans Transitional Housing Program, or "Veterans Haven," a vocational and transitional housing program for homeless veterans administered by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs.
e. The program shall reserve a portion of the funds available to it for tenant-based vouchers to veterans, other than those veterans eligible for assistance pursuant to subsection d. of this section.
f. The program shall reserve a portion of the funds available to it to establish and administer a program comparable to the federal section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program, authorized pursuant to Subpart M of Part 982 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, to enable a household to use a program voucher to buy a home by providing monthly homeownership assistance or a single down payment assistance grant.
g. The program shall reserve a portion of the funds available to it to establish and administer a program comparable to the federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency Program, authorized pursuant to Section 1437u of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, to help families achieve economic independence and reduce dependence on welfare assistance and rental subsidies.
h. The program shall reserve a portion of the funds available to it to establish and administer a Home Repair Emergency Assistance Fund, to assist families with costs of necessary home repairs and other homeownership expenses over the course of their participation.
i. The program shall comply with the requirements for permitting changes to State or federal tenant-based bousing subsidies, established pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
(cf: P.L.2024, c.98, s.1)
7. In accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Commissioner of Community Affairs shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) on or before the first day of the fourth month next following enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
8. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following enactment, except that the Commissioner of Community Affairs may take anticipatory action necessary to implement the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
STATEMENT
This bill facilitates the ability of a household to obtain adjustments to certain terms of a State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy, as defined in the bill, when faced with an increase in the number of household members, emergency conditions, and financial barriers faced by the head-of-household.
This bill requires the Commissioner of Community Affairs (commissioner), in coordination with housing authorities in the State, to establish an application process to permit a household to apply to adjust the amount of a State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy when a household experiences an increase in household members. The bill requires the process to allow for: changes to a subsidy's value; and the housing unit size permitted for the subsidy holder. The bill requires the department to prioritize a request made to adjust the amount of a tenant-based housing subsidy in circumstances that may require a subsidy holder to relocate due to overcrowding standards.
The bill requires the commissioner, in coordination with housing authorities, to authorize an expedited reassignment of the head-of-household designation for a tenant-based housing subsidy, within the same household, when emergency circumstances or financial barriers prevent the household from securing or maintaining safe housing. The bill requires an application for an expedited reassignment of the head-of-household designation to be approved when a subsidy holder household experiences an emergency circumstance or financial barrier, including, but not limited to poor credit history or prior rental debt. The bill prohibits a head-of-household designation from being reassigned to another member of the same subsidy holder household unless the prospective new head-of-household meets certain criteria specified in the bill.
The bill also requires the commissioner, in coordination with housing authorities, to authorize a subsidy holder to relocate in an expedited manner when emergency circumstances place the health of safety of one or more members of the subsidy holder household at risk. The bill requires an application for an expedited relocation to be approved when a subsidy holder household experiences an emergency, as specified in the bill.
At the request of a subsidy holder, the bill requires the department to prohibit a landlord from conducting a credit inquiry on any member of the subsidy holder household, other than the head of household, when the subsidy holder household is a prospective tenant of the landlord. A landlord who violates this prohibition is to be subject to a penalty, as specified in the bill.
In applying the provisions of the bill to the federal section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, the commissioner is to be permitted to refrain from strict compliance to any extent necessary to ensure compliance with federal law.
The bill directs the commissioner to adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the provisions of the bill.
