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Renters Could Be Fined For Overcrowded Apartments
By Catherine Snipe
Think you can pack a dozen renters in your apartment?
If you live in Brick Township, think again.
Brick Township Council will continue its discussion of occupancy limits in housing, putting a cap on overcrowding in rental properties.
The council will introduce the ordinance at its October 11 meeting.
The policy would provide specific restrictions on rental housing to prevent overcrowding of rental properties. Officials said overcrowding could also result in safety hazards and has consequences for the neighborhood, too.
The ordinance hopes to prevent this by setting fines for overcrowding and requiring each rental property to post the measurements of living quarters, among other information, on a certificate near the rental's front door.
The proposed ordinance would require a document known as a residential rental certificate of occupancy certificate to spell out the occupancy limits of a dwelling and establish penalties for violations.
On the document, the property owner would provide square footage dimensions of each bedroom, living room area, kitchen area, bathroom area, and the name and number of all tenants. In addition, it would specify the occupancy limits of the property, according to the draft.
If a dwelling violates the policy and housing officials determine there is overcrowding, both the landlord and the tenants will be punished, according to the draft of the ordinance.
Those found in violation - whether tenant or landlord - at the time of the violation of the occupancy limit will receive a summons for overcrowding. It would also be a crime for anyone to use any premises without a certificate issued.
The draft of the ordinance
offers this cautionary advice: "The occupancy limit will be strictly enforced. No warnings will be given."
In addition to apartment complexes, the code applies to rental housing and summer rentals.
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