NJ A1805

Requires the Commissioner of Community Affairs to establish and maintain a habitability database tracking violations of the implied warranty of habitability, landlord identification, and citations related to fire safety, health, utilities, and noise for residential rental properties

Courts must take judicial notice of the database contents as prima facie evidence in landlord-tenant proceedings, with information electronically displayed or printed for judges and litigants

Establishes penalties of $500 for first offense and $1,000 for subsequent offenses against landlords who fail to include required lease language informing tenants of their right to recover attorney's fees; tenants may also bring separate civil actions for the same amounts plus attorney's fees

Expands tenant protections by allowing public housing residents to bring proactive lawsuits against landlords for habitability defects, removing the previous exclusion of public housing from such actions

Takes effect on the first day of the third month following enactment and applies to tenancies beginning on or after the effective date