STATE OF NEW JERSEY

SENATE RESOLUTION No. 121

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

209th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 6, 2001

Sponsored by: Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER District 15 (Mercer)

SYNOPSIS Memorializes Congress to enact legislation expediting rental subsidy

disbursements under Section 8 housing voucher program. CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As introduced.

SR121 TURNER 2

1 A SENATE RESOLUTION memorializing Congress to expedite the 2 process through which Section 8 vouchers are dispersed to 3 landlords. 4 5 WHEREAS, Helping the homeless, the disabled, the working poor and 6 former welfare recipients find housing is a priority of the State and 7 the federal governments; and 8 WHEREAS, Provision of affordable housing is a critical element in the 9 effort to help people out of poverty; and 10 WHEREAS, The Section 8 housing voucher program is the federal 11 government's major program for assisting very low-income families, 12 the elderly and the disabled to rent decent, safe, and sanitary 13 housing in the private market; and 14 WHEREAS, Despite the New Jersey Supreme Court's decision in 15 Franklin Tower One, L.L.C. v. N.M. (March 23, 1999), in which it 16 was held that a landlord's refusal to accept a Section 8 voucher 17 violates a New Jersey statute prohibiting landlords of 18 multi-dwelling units from refusing to rent to an individual because 19 of the source of any lawful rent payment, landlords continue to 20 refuse to rent to holders of Section 8 vouchers; and 21 WHEREAS, It has been reported that landlords are reluctant to rent to 22 holders of Section 8 vouchers because of the delay in the issuance 23 of initial payments of rental subsidies from the United States 24 Department of Housing and Urban Development and the possibility 25 that the payment of rental subsidies to landlords will be interrupted 26 due to minor violations of the housing quality standards revealed 27 during annual inspections despite timely abatement of such 28 violations; now, therefore, 29 30 BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of New Jersey: 31 32 1. The Senate respectfully memorializes the Congress of the United 33 States to enact and the President to sign legislation: 34 a. to expedite the process through which rental subsidies are 35 disbursed to landlords under the Section 8 housing voucher program, 36 and 37 b. to end the practice of penalizing landlords when annual Section 38 8 inspections reveal minor violations of the housing quality standards, 39 unless such defects are life-threatening or present dangers to the health 40 and safety of dwelling occupants so long as the violations are abated 41 within 30 days of notice of the violation. 42 43 2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the 44 President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary thereof, shall be 45 transmitted to the President of the United States, the President of the 46 United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of

SR121 TURNER 3

1 Representatives, and every member of the United States Congress

2 elected from the State of New Jersey.

3

4

5

STATEMENT

6

7 This resolution memorializes Congress to enact and the President

8 to sign legislation to expedite the process through which rental

9 subsidies are disbursed to landlords under the Section 8 housing

10 voucher program and to end the practice of penalizing landlords when

11 annual Section 8 inspections reveal minor defects, unless such defects

12 are life-threatening or present dangers to the health and safety of

13 dwelling occupants.

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download