NJ A2518

Establishes a seven-factor test to determine whether a hotel or motel occupant qualifies as a residential tenant entitled to eviction protections under New Jersey's Anti-Eviction Act, including length of stay (three consecutive months or longer), intent to stay long-term, notification to the owner, and whether the unit serves as the occupant's only residence.

Occupants receiving or appealing emergency assistance benefits automatically qualify as tenants while using the hotel/motel as temporary housing, but lose tenant protections if benefits are denied or exhausted.

Occupants who willfully fail to provide registration information to hotel/motel owners cannot be considered tenants and are excluded from Anti-Eviction Act protections.

Hotel/motel owners who willfully or negligently fail to collect registration information from occupants cannot use the missing registration as grounds to deny tenant status.

Additional factors courts may consider include whether the majority of other occupants are long-term residents, whether the living space contains kitchen appliances, and whether the occupant uses personal linens and performs their own housekeeping.