A. The City may, administratively, decline to issue or renew a rental license in accordance with subsection §
246-10 hereof. An owner shall be entitled to appeal any such decision by the filing of an appeal within the time permitted and in accordance with the procedures set forth in subparagraphs §
246-10 and §
246-11.
B. The City may also revoke or suspend an issued and outstanding rental
license, or place such license in a probationary status. This action
shall be in addition to any other penalty prescribed herein, in accordance
with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:52-2 and N.J.S.A. 40:48-2, upon
the happening of one or more of the following:
(1) Conviction of the owner(s), or any of them if there is more than
one, of a violation of this chapter in the municipal court or other
court of competent jurisdiction.
(2) Following a determination by the City after a hearing that a violation
of this chapter has occurred.
(3) If, in any twenty-four-month period, there shall be four or more
complaints, on separate occasions, of conduct upon or in proximity
to any rental premises, and attributable to the acts or incitements
of any of the tenants of those premises, and such complaints have
been substantiated by prosecution and conviction in any court of competent
jurisdiction as a violation of any provision of Title 2C of the New
Jersey Statutes or any municipal ordinance governing disorderly conduct.
(4) A pattern of permitting the rental unit(s) to be occupied by more
than the maximum number of occupants as defined herein.
(5) Maintaining the rental unit or units or the property in which the
rental unit is a part in a dangerous condition likely to result in
injury to person or property.
(6) A false, misleading, or fraudulent statement made in connection with
the registration, licensing or inspection of a rental unit or units,
under this chapter.
(7) A pattern of conduct which results in creating, maintaining, permitting
or suffering the existence of any of the following conditions at or
about the rental unit:
(a)
A nuisance as that term is defined by N.J.S.A. 2C:33-12 provided,
however, that a conviction of such person or persons under that statute
shall not be required in order for the City to take action relating
to the rental license under this section;
(b)
The failure to comply with any directive of the City concerning the abatement of conduct prohibited by Subsection
B(7)(a), above.
(c)
The failure to comply with City ordinances pertaining to the
proper accumulation and disposal of solid waste (trash) and recyclable
material or otherwise allowing such materials to accumulate in such
a way as to be unsanitary or unsightly.
(8) If the licensee, who is an owner of the property affected by the
license or upon which the licensed business or activity is conducted,
has failed to pay the taxes water, sewer or other municipal charges
due on the property for at least three consecutive quarters.
(9) Any other grounds that would be a basis for denial or nonrenewal
of a rental license shall also constitute grounds for the revocation
or suspension of a rental license or the placing of such license in
a probationary status.
C. It shall be a defense to any proceeding for the revocation or suspension
of a rental license to demonstrate that the owner has taken appropriate
action and has made a good faith effort to abate the conditions or
circumstances giving rise to the revocation or suspension proceeding
including but not limited to the institution of legal action against
the tenant(s), occupant(s) or guests for recovery of the premises;
eviction of the tenant(s) or otherwise. Evidence of such actions on
the part of the owner or managing agent, however, shall not preclude
the City from placing the rental license in probationary status as
provided in this chapter, nor shall it preclude the City from instituting
action pursuant to Article IV of this chapter.
A written complaint seeking the revocation or suspension of
a rental license shall be filed with the City Clerk by any person
mentioned as an Enforcement Official in article i of this chapter.
The complaint shall be sufficiently specific to inform the landlord/owner
- licensee of the charges pending and shall state the particulars
of any substantiated violations underlying the charges. The complaint
may be filed on the basis of information and belief and the complainant
need not rely on personal knowledge or information.
Upon the filing of such written complaint, the City Clerk shall promptly follow the same procedure set forth in §
246-60.
The hearing required by this section shall be held before the
City Hearing Officer, unless such Hearing Officer shall recuse him/herself,
in which event the City Council shall appoint another independent
hearing officer to preside in the matter.
The Hearing Officer shall transmit his findings of fact and
conclusions of law to the City Council within 15 days of the conclusion
of the hearing. City Council shall then review the matter and may
accept, reject, or modify the recommendations of the Hearing Officer
based on the documentary evidence and written findings of fact and
conclusion of law submitted by the Hearing Officer, and render a decision
dismissing the complaint, revoking or suspending the rental license,
or determining that the rental license shall not be renewed or reissued
for one or more subsequent license years. The rental license may also
be placed in probationary status as provided herein.
A verbatim record shall be made of the hearing. All witnesses
shall be sworn prior to testifying. The strict rules of evidence shall
not apply and the evidential rules and burden of proof shall be the
same as those which generally govern and are applied in administrative
hearings. Any person shall be entitled to obtain a transcript of such
hearing at his sole cost and expense.
The Municipal Solicitor shall appear and prosecute on behalf
of the complainant in all hearings conducted pursuant to this section.
In lieu of a revocation or suspension of a rental license, the
Hearing Officer may recommend placing the rental license in a probationary
status. The Hearing Officer may also recommend specific terms of probation
to be imposed, if any. City Council shall make the final determination
by resolution and may, in its discretion, accept, reject, or modify
the findings and recommendations of the Hearing Officer. Once imposed,
the probationary status shall remain in effect for the remainder of
that license term and may be made applicable to the succeeding renewal
term.
The terms of the probationary status shall be specifically set
forth in a resolution of City Council, a copy of which shall be served
upon the owner, managing agent, and rental agent. Such notice shall
be served personally or by certified mail, return receipt requested,
or both. If service is made by certified mail, return receipt requested,
it shall also be sent simultaneously by first class mail. Mail to
the owner and managing agent shall be at the address indicated on
the rental license application. Copies shall also be sent to the names
and addresses appearing on the City's tax records if different
from the names and addresses appearing on the rental license application.
Copies shall also be provided to the Chief of Police, Code Enforcement
Officer, Fire Official and Construction Code Official.
The City Council may on its own initiative or at the request
of an owner, managing agent, tenant or occupant of the rental unit
modify the terms of such probationary status at any time during the
probationary term. If modified, it shall be by resolution, copies
of which shall be served upon such persons and in such manner as specified
in the preceding subsection.
The violation of any term or condition of the probation by the owner, managing agent, tenant or occupant, shall be cause for the immediate suspension or revocation of the rental license. Prior to suspension or revocation, the licensee shall be entitled to a hearing conducted in accordance with the provisions of §
246-42.
Any rental license which is in probationary status may be renewed
for the succeeding license term conditioned upon compliance by the
owner, managing agent, tenant and occupants with the terms and conditions
of probation.
The failure to comply with the terms and conditions of probation by the owner, managing agent, tenant or occupants shall be cause for the immediate suspension, revocation, or nonrenewal of the rental license. Prior to suspension, revocation, or nonrenewal, the licensee shall be entitled to a hearing conducted in accordance with the provisions of §
246-42.
A rental license shall be deemed severable with respect to the
revocation, suspension or disciplinary actions instituted pursuant
to this chapter. Accordingly, the revocation or suspension or other
disciplinary action involving a rental license may be limited to one
or more rental units or may apply to all rental units in a property.
If limited to less than all of the rental units, such License shall
remain in full force and effect as to any and all rental units not
involved in the revocation, suspension or disciplinary proceedings.
Any complaint seeking the suspension or revocation of a rental
license shall be filed by the City and served upon the owner or managing
agent by October 30th in order to have any effect on the current license
year and the rental season immediately following. If such a complaint
is filed after said date and if the charges are sustained, the revocation
or suspension of the rental license shall not impact upon the rental
season immediately following but shall affect the next ensuing rental
season.
Any person, firm, association or corporation violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction, be subject to the penalty provisions set forth in §
246-35 and §
246-36, including those additional enhanced penalties for repeat violations as specified in said sections and subsections.
The foregoing penalties shall be in addition to any other penalty
provided in this chapter and shall be in addition to those penalties
set forth in N.J.S.A. 46:8-35. Specifically, the penal penalties shall
be in addition to the administrative penalties set forth in this article
and shall not be in place thereof.