SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey’s acting attorney general has sent dozens of notices to landlords for violating the state's new Fair Chance in Housing Act, a measure intended to ensure people with criminal histories have access to safe and affordable housing.
The FCHA, which Gov. Phil Murphy signed on Juneteenth 2021, is the first state law of its kind in the country. It prevents landlords from denying housing based on an applicant’s criminal record alone. In most cases, property owners aren’t even allowed to ask about someone’s criminal record until sending a conditional offer of housing.
After the offer is extended, a landlord may conduct a background check on a potential renter. A landlord is barred from denying housing unless there are specific criminal convictions on the applicant’s record. The Office of the Attorney General must be notified of any application denials and give applicants a chance to explain themselves.
“A criminal record can have a devastating, albeit unfair, impact on a person's ability to find safe, affordable housing,” said acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin.
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Recently the attorney general sent 30 violation notices to landlords in towns across the state, including Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, Marlton and Woodbury.
A first offense comes with a $1,000 fine, followed by $5,000 for a second offense and $10,000 for subsequent offenses.