Opinion ID: 1945926
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: New Jersey Anti-Eviction Act

Text: Under New Jersey's common law, upon a tenant's death, the tenancy passes to her estate. See Gross v. Peskin, 101 N.J.Super. 468, 469, 244 A. 2d 692 (App.Div.1968). If it was a month-to-month tenancy, as in this case, then the landlord could terminate the lease by giving one month's notice to the estate's legal representatives. See Ctr. Ave. Realty, Inc. v. Smith, 264 N.J.Super. 344, 350, 624 A. 2d 996 (App.Div.1993). New Jersey's Legislature, however, substantially altered landlord-tenant common law and prior statutory law in respect of residential tenants with the enactment of the Anti-Eviction Act. See Chase Manhattan Bank v. Josephson, 135 N.J. 209, 219, 638 A. 2d 1301 (1994) (finding that [t]he Anti-Eviction Act . . . dramatically changed the rights of landlords and owners by prohibiting the ejectment of residential tenants or lessees simply because their tenancies or leases had expired). The Act states that [n]o lessee or tenant or the assigns, under-tenants or legal representatives of such lessee or tenant may be removed by the Superior Court . . . except upon establishment of one of the following grounds as good cause. N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1. Seventeen grounds for eviction are enumerated, including nonpayment of rent, destruction of peace and quiet, breach of rules and regulations, breach of covenant, and others. Ibid. At this stage of the development of case law surrounding the Act, it is well recognized that [t]he legislation was designed to protect residential tenants against unfair and arbitrary evictions by limiting the bases for their removal. 447 Assocs. v. Miranda, 115 N.J. 522, 528, 559 A. 2d 1362 (1989). When a person is protected by the Act, the effective term of the lease is for as long as the tenant wishes to remain, provided he pays the rent . . . and provided there is no other statutory cause for eviction under [the Act]. Ctr. Ave. Realty, supra, 264 N.J.Super. at 350, 624 A. 2d 996. Our Court never before has addressed whether, when the named tenant of a Section 8 household dies, the Anti-Eviction Act's protections extend to a financially contributing household member, who has been in continuous residence in the tenancy with the landlord's acquiescence and consent. [4] The instant case has forced the issue.