1031-1035 CLINTON ST

Key value

Disclosures required for renewal rent increases of more than 10% (no cap on the increase itself)

Requirement

Residential landlords raising rent by more than 10% year over year on a lease renewal must give the existing tenant specified disclosures before the increase takes effect. These are an itemization of the costs, a statement on whether a rent algorithm was used, notice of the tenant's right to take legal action, and Division of Housing contact information.

Evidence

“All residential landlords seeking to increase rent by more than 10% upon a renewal of a lease with a current tenant year over year shall be required to make the following disclosures to existing tenants either in the lease upon renewal (must be clearly indicated on the first page) or on a form provided by the Hoboken Division of Housing prior to the increase being implemented:”

Hoboken City Code § 158-1 (Ord. No. B-750)

Key value

Lesser of 5% or CPI change; one increase per 12 months

Requirement

At lease expiration or termination of a periodic tenancy, a landlord may not impose an increase greater than the lesser of 5% or the CPI change over the lease term. Only one such cost-of-living increase is allowed in any 12-month period. Landlords must give 30 days' written notice with reasons, include a certificate of substantial compliance, and show proof of prior rent paid.

Evidence

“At the expiration of a lease or at the termination of a lease of a periodic tenant, no landlord may request or receive a percentage increase in rent which is greater than 5% or the percentage difference between the consumer price index three months prior to the expiration or termination of the lease and three months prior to the commencement of the lease term, whichever is less.”

Hoboken Code § 155-5

Key value

Ban on algorithmic rent-setting coordination (use of coordinators / algorithmic devices performing a coordinating function)

Requirement

Makes it unlawful, and a violation of the NJ Antitrust Act, for rental property owners to pay for or use a coordinator's services, for coordinators to facilitate rent-restricting agreements, and for anyone to perform a coordinating function or engage in parallel pricing coordination.

Possible preemption: from 1 July 2027 the NJ FAIR Act may preempt the Hoboken and Jersey City algorithmic rent ordinances. Flagged for human review; not decided here.

Evidence

“It shall be unlawful and a violation of the “New Jersey Antitrust Act,” P.L.1970, c.73 (C.56:9-1 et seq.) for: a. a rental property owner, or any agent, representative, or subcontractor thereof, to receive, subscribe to, contract for, or otherwise exchange any form of consideration in return for the use of, the services of a coordinator; b. a coordinator to facilitate a tacit or express agreement among rental property owners that restricts competition with respect to residential dwelling units, including by performing a coordinating function;”

P.L. 2026, c.43 (C.56:9-20 to 56:9-26)

Key value

Ban on algorithmic rent-fixing using nonpublic competitor information

Requirement

Landlords of residential dwelling units in Hoboken may not price-fix using algorithmic pricing, meaning software, algorithms or data-sharing platforms that use nonpublic competitor information to coordinate, recommend or implement rents, lease terms or occupancy levels among competing lessors.

Possible preemption: from 1 July 2027 the NJ FAIR Act may preempt the Hoboken and Jersey City algorithmic rent ordinances. Flagged for human review; not decided here.

Evidence

“Landlords who rent any residential dwelling unit (defined as any primary residence excluding medical/long-term care or detention facilities) in the City of Hoboken are prohibited from price fixing using algorithmic pricing.”

Hoboken Code § 158-2 (Ord. No. B-781)

Key value

Ban on refusing tenants based on source of lawful income (including Section 8 vouchers)

Requirement

Landlords may not discriminate in housing based on the source of lawful income or source of lawful rent payment, so they cannot deny a Section 8 voucher holder an apartment solely because of that income source.

Evidence

“The LAD also prohibits housing discrimination based on the source of lawful income or source of lawful rent or mortgage payment a tenant or purchaser uses.”

N.J.S.A. 10:5-12 (NJ Law Against Discrimination)

Key value

No criminal-record inquiry before conditional offer; after offer, only convictions for listed serious offenses (no time limit) or indictable offenses within look-back periods of 6 years (1st degree), 4 years (2nd/3rd degree) and 1 year (4th degree)

Requirement

A housing provider may not inquire about an applicant's criminal record before making a conditional offer. After the offer, only certain convictions within set look-back periods may be considered, and a withdrawal requires an individualized assessment and written notice.

Evidence

“A housing provider shall not make any oral or written inquiry regarding an applicant’s criminal record prior to making a conditional offer.”

N.J.S.A. 46:8-52 et seq. (P.L. 2021, c.110)

Key value

$50 maximum, adjusted annually for CPI increases (NY-Northern NJ-Long Island CPI-U)

Requirement

A landlord or agent may not require an application or similar fee to apply to lease or sublease a residential rental property that exceeds $50. Violators face civil penalties and must refund the amount wrongfully charged to the applicant.

Evidence

“shall not require an application or other similar fee to apply to lease or sublease a residential rental property for dwelling purposes, which exceeds $50.”

N.J.S.A. 46:8-18.1; P.L. 2025, c.405

Key value

1.5 months' rent maximum; annual increases limited to 10% of the current deposit

Requirement

A landlord may not collect a security deposit above one and one-half times one month's rent, and prepaid rent held as security (including last month's rent) counts toward that cap. Deposits must be held in trust in an interest-bearing account, with interest going to the tenant, and returned within 30 days after the tenancy ends.

Evidence

“The maximum-security deposit to be collected by the landlord cannot be more than one and one-half times one month’s rent ( N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.2 ).”

N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.2; N.J.S.A. 46:8-19; N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1

Key value

Good cause required to evict or fail to renew a residential lease

Requirement

A residential landlord may not evict or refuse to renew a lease, written or oral, without good cause under the Anti-Eviction Act. Possession may be recovered only through consent or court process, and a Notice to Quit is required for all good-cause evictions except nonpayment of rent.

Evidence

“No residential landlord may evict or fail to renew a lease, whether it is a written or an oral lease without good cause.”

N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1 et seq.; N.J.S.A. 2A:18-53

Key value

Good cause required to refuse renewal or evict; a lease term ending is not itself a ground

Requirement

Landlords of covered residential rentals may not refuse to renew a written or oral lease unless they have good cause under the Anti-Eviction Act. The good causes are listed in the guide's Eviction section (not in this part).

Evidence

“No landlord of residential rental properties except t hose in owner occupied two or three family dwellings, motels or hotels, transient, or seasonal units may fail to renew any lease, regardless of whether it is written or oral unless they have good cause not to renew the lease.”

N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.3