NJ A3994

Creates a Rent Control Ombudsman within the Department of Community Affairs to receive complaints about municipal non-enforcement of rent control ordinances, refer matters to the Attorney General, publish annual reports identifying non-compliant municipalities, and issue subpoenas for investigations.

Requires municipalities with rent control ordinances to maintain procedures for investigating complaints and establish mandatory timelines for responding to complaints and completing investigations, with non-compliance creating a rebuttable presumption of non-enforcement.

Allows tenants to sue in Superior Court if a municipality misses enforcement deadlines or fails to respond to requests within 30 days, with potential remedies including treble damages for rent overcharges, rent rollbacks, attorney's fees, and civil penalties up to $2,000 per unit.

Authorizes the Attorney General to take action against municipalities showing patterns of willful non-enforcement, with courts able to appoint special masters to oversee enforcement and order civil penalties paid to affected tenants.

Appropriates $4 million from the General Fund, split equally between the Attorney General's office and the Department of Community Affairs for the Rent Control Ombudsman.