Opinion ID: 2347469
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Ordinance is unworkable

Text: Plaintiffs contend that chapter 69-5 of the New Milford ordinance is unworkable and hence invalid. [22] They explain that in order to obtain a rent increase, a landlord must, within 45 days prior to the effective date of a proposed increase, deliver to the Rent Leveling Board the mathematics involved in computing the increase. These figures include the CPI for the date 90 days prior to the commencement of the current lease, the CPI for the date 90 days prior to the effective date of the proposed increase, the allowable percentage increase and the allowable rent increase. Plaintiffs claim that because the CPI for the date 90 days prior to the proposed increase is not compiled and published for at least 45 to 50 days after that date, this information is unavailable to the landlord on the date on which he must submit his calculations to the Rent Leveling Board, i.e., 45 days prior to imposition of the new rent. Plaintiffs also complain that even if they were able to submit these figures within the time allotted, insufficient time remains in which to undertake and complete eviction proceedings against tenants who refuse to accept the proffered lease. Statutory provisions which are unworkable and impossible to comply with may be invalidated on the ground that they constitute a denial of substantive due process. Sayre & Fisher Brick Co. v. Dearden, 23 N.J. Super. 453, 460-61 (Law Div. 1952). See also Roberts v. Shafer, 63 N.J.L. 182 (Sup. Ct. 1899); Commercial Credit Corp. v. Congleton, 21 N.J. Super. 88 (Cty. Ct. 1952). Unworkable municipal ordinances may also be invalidated on the grounds that they are arbitrary and unreasonable. Kirsch Holding Co. v. Borough of Manasquan, 59 N.J. 241, 251-252 (1971). Larson v. Mayor & Council of Spring Lake Heights, 99 N.J. Super. 365, 372 (Law Div. 1968); Kozesnik v. Montgomery Twp., 24 N.J. 154 (1957); Schmidt v. Bd. of Adjustment, Newark, 9 N.J. 405 (1952). Of course, a legislative enactment will not be declared void unless its repugnancy to the Constitution is so manifest as to leave no room for reasonable doubt. National City Bank of New York v. Del Sordo, 16 N.J. 530, 542 (1954); Behnke v. New Jersey Highway Authority, 13 N.J. 14, 25 (1953); Reingold v. Harper, 6 N.J. 182, 194 (1951); Inganamort v. Fort Lee, 120 N.J. Super. 286, 301 (Law Div. 1972), aff'd 62 N.J. 521 (1973). Therefore, if plaintiffs' assertions are clearly proven to be correct, then the provisions requiring landlords to file their applications for rent increases within a certain time period must be stricken. In the case at bar, the trial court made no findings of fact with respect to this issue and the record contains contradictory allegations. While plaintiffs claim that they are unable to obtain the necessary information within the prescribed time period, defendant refutes their contention. In addition, defendant asserts that, in fact, landlords have been filing their requests for rent increases in a timely manner. In any event, defendant states that if these provisions are proven to be unworkable, the Borough would willingly make the necessary adjustments in the ordinance. Of course, if plaintiffs find that they are able to comply with the ordinance as written, they need not press this issue further. However, if they do decide to pursue it, we remand the matter to the trial court for a determination whether this provision of the ordinance is unworkable and invalid. If invalid, it is to be severed from the remainder of the ordinance [23] and the court should construe said ordinance in such a manner as to allow landlords a reasonable period of time prior to the effective date of a proposed increase in which to submit their computations to the Rent Leveling Board. This may be accomplished by shortening the time in which calculations must be filed to less than 45 days prior to imposition of proposed increases or by changing the date on which the CPI is to be calculated to a date greater than 90 days before the end of the current lease. [24] See Collingswood v. Ringgold, 66 N.J. 350, 357 (1975); State v. DeSantis, 65 N.J. 462, 472-73 (1974); State v. Profaci, 56 N.J. 346, 349-50 (1971); State v. Zito, 54 N.J. 206, 218 (1969) for cases where this Court performed judicial surgery in order to preserve the constitutional integrity of a statute or ordinance.