52:27D-437.8 Review of cases of immediate risk by commissioner; liability for relocation costs.

8. a. The Commissioner of Community Affairs shall review any case referred to the department in which a lead hazard condition has been found to exist and which poses an immediate risk of continuing exposure to lead hazard for any children living in the housing. If the lead hazard has been found to exist in a rental housing unit, the commissioner shall determine whether the removal of the residents from the rental housing unit containing that lead hazard is warranted.

b. If the commissioner determines that the removal and relocation of the residents from such housing is warranted, then the commissioner shall authorize the payment of relocation assistance pursuant to P.L.2003, c.311 (C.52:27D-437.1 et al.), and shall assist in the relocation of such residents to lead-safe housing.

c. Whenever relocation assistance is authorized pursuant to this section, the commissioner may determine to seek reimbursement for payments made for relocation assistance from the owner of the rental housing from which the tenants were moved. The commissioner shall seek reimbursement if the owner of such rental housing had failed to maintain the housing in a lead-safe condition.

d. In the case of any displacement of a household from a unit of rental housing that has been found, in a final administrative or judicial determination, not to be maintained in lead-safe condition in accordance with standards established by rule of the Department of Community Affairs or by municipal ordinance, all relocation costs incurred by a public agency to relocate that household shall be paid by the owner of the rental housing to the public agency making relocation payments upon presentation to the owner by the public agency of a statement of those relocation costs and of the date upon which the relocation costs are due and payable.

e. In the event that the relocation costs to be paid to the public agency are not paid within ten days after the due date, interest shall accrue and be due to the public agency on the unpaid balance at the rate of 18% per annum until the costs, and the interest thereon, shall be fully paid to the public agency.

f. In the event that the relocation costs to be paid to a public agency shall not be paid within ten days after the date due, the unpaid balance thereof and all interest accruing thereon shall be a lien on the parcel in which the dwelling unit from which displacement occurred is located. To perfect the lien granted by this section, a statement showing the amount and due date of the unpaid balance and identifying the parcel, which identification shall be sufficiently made by reference to the municipal assessment map, shall be recorded with the clerk or register of the county in which the affected property is located and, upon recording, the lien shall have the priority of a mortgage lien. Whenever relocation costs with regard to the parcel and all interest accrued thereon shall have been fully paid to the public agency, the statement shall be promptly withdrawn or canceled by the public agency.

g. In the event that relocation costs to be paid to a public agency are not paid as and when due, the unpaid balance thereof and all interest accrued thereon, together with attorney's fees and costs, may be recovered by the public agency in a civil action as a personal debt of the owner of the property. If the owner is a corporation, the directors, officers and any shareholders who each control more than 5% of the total voting shares of the corporation, shall be personally liable, jointly and severally, for the relocation costs.

h. All rights and remedies granted by this section for the collection and enforcement of relocation costs shall be cumulative and concurrent.

L.2003,c.311,s.8.