The Maple Leaf Park complex, Brick, N.J. (Credit: Google Maps)
The Brick Township Council will hold a public hearing and, presumably, take a final vote on an ordinance that will penalize absentee landlords who rent to tenants who engage in criminal activity.
The ordinance requires any landlord whose tenants violate either criminal or municipal laws more than twice in a 24 month period to post a bond against future incidents. The bond would be between $500 and $5,000 and could be forfeited if additional “substantiated complaints” are generated by tenants. If a bond is required to be posted by the landlord, the township would keep the bond for a period of two to four years, depending on the determination of a hearing officer who would be appointed by township officials.
The proposal is similar to an ordinance on the books in Belmar, which is widely credited with eliminating “animal house” style rentals there and transitioning the town to a year-round community.
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The council began looking into ordinance that would regulate the rental market after residents from the Maple Leaf Park condominium development began attending meetings last fall and speaking out on crime issues there. Councilwoman Marianna Pontoriero, a vocal proponent of the pending ordinance, said it is one of several measures the council will undertake the help put the brakes on crime in multi-family housing development throughout Brick.
