40A:20-14. Conveyed condominium units, tax exemption, conditions

14. If the financial agreement permits the conveyance of condominium units pursuant to subsection b. of section 10 of this act, the provisions of this section shall apply.

When the urban renewal entity files a master deed pursuant to P.L.1969, c.257 (C.46:8B-1 et seq.) creating a condominium, whether residential, commercial, or industrial, as to all or a portion of a project which has been approved for tax exemption under the financial agreement, each unit of the condominium, whether owned by the urban renewal entity or a successor unit purchaser, shall continue to be subject to the provisions of the financial agreement, and the tax exemption previously approved under the financial agreement with respect to property converted to condominium ownership shall be unaffected by the recording of the master deed or any subsequent deed conveying the condominium unit and its appurtenant interest in common elements. In the case of residential condominium units, the municipal governing body may, by resolution, require either the lapse of the tax exemption for any period during which the owner of a unit does not personally reside therein and the unit is occupied by somebody else or an increase in the annual service charge paid in lieu of taxes by a condominium unit owner who does not reside within the unit by a specified percentage over that otherwise applicable. A tax exemption shall continue as to the condominium unit and its appurtenant undivided interest in the common elements subject to all of the following:

a. For the purpose of determining the annual service charge pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1991, c.431 (C.40A:20-12), when used with respect to a condominium project, "annual gross revenue" means the amount equal to the annual aggregate constant payments to principal and interest, assuming a purchase money mortgage encumbering the condominium unit to have been in an original amount equal to the initial value of the unit with its appurtenant interest in the common elements as stated in the master deed, if unsold by the urban renewal entity, or, if the unit is held by a unit purchaser, from time to time, the most recent true consideration paid for a deed to the condominium unit in a bona fide arm's length sale transaction, but not less than the initial assessed valuation of the condominium unit assessed at 100% of true value, plus the total amount of common expenses charged to the unit pursuant to the bylaws of the condominium association. The constant payments to principal and interest shall be calculated by assuming a loan amount as stated above at the prevailing lawful interest rate for mortgage financing or comparable properties within the municipality as of the date of the recording of the unit deed, for a term equal to the full term of the exemption from taxation stipulated in the financial agreement.

b. There is expressly excluded from calculation of gross revenue and from net profit as set forth in subsections a. and c. of section 3 of P.L.1991, c.431 (C.40A:20-3) for the purpose of determining compliance with sections 15 or 16 of P.L.1991, c.431 (C.40A:20-15 or 40A:20-16), any gain realized by the urban renewal entity on the sale of any condominium unit, whether or not taxable under federal or State law.

c. The conveyance of a condominium unit which is authorized under the financial agreement to a bona fide unit purchaser grantee shall not require consent or approval of the municipality, and the grantee shall acquire title to the unit subject to the requirement for payment of the annual service charge and other provisions of the financial agreement expressly applicable to condominium unit purchasers, and the exemption from taxation as to the condominium unit shall continue unaffected by the transfer, subject, in an instance of housing, to the provisions of any municipal resolution adopted pursuant to this section.

d. For a multi-occupant commercial or industrial building operated as a condominium or sold by three dimensional conveyances, but developed, sold, managed or operated by an urban renewal entity, the building and its occupants' space shall qualify as tax exempt under this section if the financial agreement which authorizes conveyances of units, assigns proportionate interests in the tax exempt property. The condominium or three dimensional purchasers of units shall not be required to be urban renewal entities.

L.1991,c.431,s.14.