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AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND SUPPLEMENT TITLE XIX, OF THE REVISED GENERAL ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, 2000, AS AMENDED AND SUPPLEMENTED, BY CREATING A NEW CHAPTER, WHICH ESTABLISHES ACCESS TO FREE LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO NEWARK'S LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS FACING EVICTION IN LANDLORD TENANT COURT BY CREATING THE OFFICE OF TENANT LEGAL SERVICES.
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WHEREAS, the Governing Body of the City of Newark does hereby declare that an emergency exists, within the City of Newark, where numerous residents are homeless, or are at the risk of homelessness, and/or reside in uninhabitable living conditions due to a shortage of affordable housing and a lack of awareness of tenants' rights; and
WHEREAS, this emergency has been created, in part, by the filling of frivolous and/or retaliatory eviction actions by landlords renting residential property in the City of Newark, and this emergency has been further exacerbated by the deterioration of a substantial portion of the existing housing stock, insufficient construction of affordable housing units, increasing costs of construction, financing, and the fact that a substantial portion of current Newark residents rely on fixed or stagnating incomes. These issues have led to excessively high rents and have caused a substantial and increasing shortage of rental housing accommodations for families of low and moderate income; and
WHEREAS, according to the 2016-2017 United States Census Bureau data, approximately 78.2% of Newark residents rent their homes; and
WHEREAS, providing Newark residents with access to free legal services, in landlord-tenant court, will mitigate the aforementioned emergency and reduce the serious threats to the public health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of the City of Newark that said emergency has created; and
WHEREAS, a lack of knowledge and awareness of a tenant's legal rights, the fear of being evicted without good cause and being forced...
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