New Rental Regulations May Resolve Landlord Suit

The Freehold Landlord Association of New Jersey (FLANJ) lawsuit against Freehold Borough may soon be resolved. The Borough Council approved the introduction of an ordinance regulating rental properties during its regular meeting at Borough Hall Dec. 5.

If passed, the regulations would override a 2010 landlord ordinance. The FLANJ filed a lawsuit against Freehold Borough in state Superior Court in July objecting to the ordinance passed last year, according to court documents.

“It’s very important and necessary that new regulations are made for rental properties,” said Councilwoman Sharon Shutzer.

If the ordinance is approved, the municipality expects to able to settle the lawsuit, Freehold Borough attorney Kerry Higgins confirmed.

The 2010 regulations required an annual $300 licensing and registration fee. The newly introduced ordinance would lower that fee to $75. The older ordinance also empowered code enforcement officers to apply to municipal court for a search warrant if denied entry to inspect the property. In the new ordinance, a summons may be issued if the code enforcement is not permitted to inspect the property.

The Borough Council is expected to vote on the ordinance during its Dec. 21 meeting.

Jacklyn Corley contributed to this report.