S4004

An Act establishing an Office of Interagency Cooperation to enhance local level code enforcement and supplementing P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.).

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. As used in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):

“Bureau” means the Bureau of State and Local Code Inspections in the Department of Community Affairs.

“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Community Affairs.

“Office” means the Office of Interagency Cooperation.

“Oversight board” or “board” means the board that directs the work of the Office of Interagency Cooperation.

“Strike team” means a group of officials identifying and addressing acute and pervasive code enforcement issues.

2. a. There is established an Office of Interagency Cooperation under the Bureau of State and Local Code Inspections in the Department of Community Affairs to identify and address acute and pervasive code enforcement issues under the State Uniform Construction Code or any other State or local housing or health code or regulation.

b. The work of the office, established pursuant to subsection a. of this section, shall be directed by an oversight board, which shall consist of: (1) one member appointed by the Governor; (2) one member appointed by the Senate President; (3) one member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; and (4) two members appointed by the commissioner from the bureau.

Members of the oversight board shall serve a term of four years, except for the initial legislative appointees, who shall serve for two years. Each member shall serve for the term of appointment and until a successor is appointed. A member may be reappointed to the board. A member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring in the membership of the advisory board for any reason other than the expiration of the term shall serve a term of appointment for the unexpired term only. All vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. Any appointed member of the board may be removed from the board by the Governor, for cause, after a hearing, and may be suspended by the Governor pending the completion of the hearing. Motions and resolutions may be adopted by the board at a board meeting by an affirmative vote of not less than three members.

Members of the board shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for actual expenses of serving on the board, to the extent that funds are available for this purpose.

The board shall organize as soon as possible after the appointment of its members. The members shall select a chair from among their number.

c. The oversight board may authorize the office to establish strike teams in any municipality in which the office identifies acute or pervasive code enforcement issues.

3. a. The office may enter into data sharing agreements or memorandums of understanding with municipalities to share pertinent information regarding acute or repeat violators of the State Uniform Construction Code or any other State or local housing or health code or regulation.

b. The office shall establish a data-sharing dashboard containing the contact information of repeat violators of the State Uniform Construction Code or any other State or local housing or health code or regulation and the addresses of buildings that have repeatedly violated the State Uniform Construction Code or any other State or local housing or health code or regulation.

c. The office shall identify municipalities that require the formation of strike teams, and recommend that the oversight board authorize the establishment of a strike team to operate in that municipality.

4. a. A strike team established by the office, pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), shall coordinate with the office as necessary to aid a municipality in its enforcement activities.

b. Each strike team established by the office shall consist of: (1) staff from the Department of Community Affairs, (2) municipal code enforcement officials, and (3) local public health enforcement officials, as determined appropriate by the office.

c. A strike team shall conduct priority sweeps of any building in the municipality for which it was formed that has been the subject of acute or repeat complaints.

5. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes an Office of Interagency Cooperation (office) under the Bureau of State and Local Code Inspections in the Department of Community Affairs to identify and address acute and pervasive code enforcement issues under the State Uniform Construction Code or any other State or local housing or health code or regulation. The work of the office is to be directed by an oversight board. The oversight board is permitted to authorize the office to establish strike teams in any municipality in which the office identifies acute or pervasive code enforcement issues.

The bill permits the office to enter into data sharing agreements or memorandums of understanding with municipalities to share pertinent information regarding acute or repeat violators of the State Uniform Construction Code or any other State or local housing or health code or regulation. The bill requires the office to establish a data-sharing dashboard containing information regarding repeat violators and the related buildings.

The bill requires the office to identify municipalities that require the formation of strike teams, and recommend that the oversight board authorize the establishment of a strike team to operate in that municipality. The bill requires a strike team to coordinate with the office as necessary to aid a municipality in its enforcement activities. The bill requires a strike team to conduct priority sweeps of any building in the municipality for which it was formed that has been the subject of acute or repeat complaints.