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Bill

A 3445

Allows for the establishment of a "County Tenant Legal Assistance Program" in each county; requires portion of the administrative fee for residential mortgage execution sales fund the program.

2024-2025 Regular Session Introduced by Verlina Reynolds-Jackson

New Jersey bill establishes county tenant legal aid programs funded by a portion of residential mortgage foreclosure sale administrative fees.

Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee
#counties #landlord
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Bill Summary · A 3445

Legislative bill overview

Bill A 3445 would establish a "County Tenant Legal Assistance Program" in each New Jersey county to provide legal aid to tenants. The bill would fund these programs by directing a portion of administrative fees collected from residential mortgage foreclosure sales into a dedicated funding stream.

Why is this important

Tenants facing eviction or housing disputes often lack resources for legal representation, which can result in wrongful evictions or unfavorable outcomes. This bill attempts to address that access-to-justice gap by creating a systematic funding mechanism that ties legal assistance directly to foreclosure proceedings, where tenant protections are most critical.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding mechanism concerns: Using foreclosure-related fees to fund the program creates a dependency on housing instability revenues—if foreclosures decline, program funding shrinks, making budgeting unpredictable
  • Implementation details absent: The bill doesn't specify what portion of fees would be allocated, how services would be administered, eligibility criteria, or service priorities, leaving critical questions unanswered
  • Cost to mortgage industry: Lenders and servicers may oppose redirecting foreclosure fees, arguing it increases their costs and could be passed to consumers through higher mortgage-related expenses

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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