N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:18-51 et seq. § 2A:18-61.1a
Findings
Operative Text
The Legislature finds that: a. Acute State and local shortages of supply and high levels of demand for residential dwellings have motivated removal of blameless tenants in order to directly or indirectly profit from conversion to higher income rental or ownership interest residential use. b. This has resulted in unfortunate attempts to displace tenants employing pretexts, stratagems or means other than those provided pursuant to the intent of State eviction laws designated to fairly balance and protect rights of tenants and landlords. c. These devices have circumvented the intent of current State eviction laws by failing to utilize available means to avoid displacement, such as: protected tenancies; rights to purchase; rent affordability protection; full disclosures relevant to eviction challenges; and stays of eviction where relocation is lacking. d. It is in the public interest of the State to maintain for citizens the broadest protections available under State eviction laws to avoid such displacement and resultant loss of affordable housing, which, due to housing's uniqueness as the most costly and difficult to change necessity of life, causes overcrowding, unsafe and unsanitary conditions, blight, burdens on community services, wasted resources, homelessness, emigration from the State and personal hardship, which is particularly severe for vulnerable seniors, the disabled, the frail, minorities, large families and single parents. e. Such personal hardship includes, but is not limited to: economic loss, time loss, physical and emotional stress, and in some cases severe emotional trauma, illness, homelessness or other irreparable harm resulting from strain of eviction controversy; relocation search and moving difficulties; anxiety caused by lack of information, uncertainty, and resultant planning difficulty; employment, education, family and social disruption; relocation and empty unit security hazards; relocation to premises of less affordability, capacity, accessibility and physical or environmental quality; and relocation adjustment problems, particularly of the blind or other disabled citizens. f. It is appropriate to take legislative notice of relevant legislative findings adopted pursuant to section 2 of the "Senior Citizens and Disabled Protected Tenancy Act," P.L. 1981, c. 226 (C. 2A:18-61.23) and section 2 of the "Prevention of Homelessness Act (1984)," P.L. 1984, c. 180 (C. 52:27D-281), which, with the findings of this section, have relevance to this 1986 amendatory and supplementary act and P.L. 1974, c. 49 (C. 2A:18-61.1 et seq.). g. This 1986 amendatory and supplementary act is adopted in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of New Jersey. L. 1986, c. 138, s. 10, eff. Oct. 29, 1986.
N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1a sets out the Legislature's formal findings explaining why New Jersey strengthened its residential eviction protections in 1986. The Legislature identified a pattern of landlords using pretexts and workarounds to displace tenants in order to profit from converting properties to higher-income uses, circumventing the intent of existing eviction law. This section does not itself create rights or obligations but establishes the public-interest rationale — protecting affordable housing, preventing homelessness, and safeguarding vulnerable populations — that underlies the broader statutory scheme at N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1 et seq.
Plain English — not legal advice.
N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1a signals that New Jersey courts and regulators are expected to interpret the state's eviction statutes broadly in favor of tenant protection, consistent with the Legislature's declared intent. Operators who understand this findings section recognize that eviction procedures relying on pretexts, technical workarounds, or failure to offer available alternatives — such as protected tenancies or rights to purchase — are precisely the conduct the Legislature sought to address. Compliant property managers generally document legitimate grounds for any eviction action and ensure their practices align with the full range of tenant protections enumerated in the N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1 et seq. framework.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1a reflects the Legislature's explicit finding that New Jersey tenants are entitled to the broadest protections available under state eviction law, and that displacement through pretexts or stratagems is contrary to public policy. Tenants facing eviction proceedings may find this findings section relevant when challenging actions that appear designed to circumvent the intent of the eviction statutes, such as manufactured grounds for removal tied to conversion or redevelopment. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid offices familiar with the N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1 et seq. framework can help tenants understand how these legislative findings may bear on available defenses or remedies.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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