§ 46:8-56 — Housing provider's consideration of applicant's record.

5. a. A housing provider shall not, either before or after the issuance of a conditional offer, evaluate an applicant based on any of the following types of criminal records: (1) arrests or charges that have not resulted in a criminal conviction; (2) expunged convictions; (3) convictions erased through executive pardon; (4) vacated and otherwise legally nullified convictions; (5) juvenile adjudications of delinquency; and (6) records that have been sealed. b. After the issuance of a conditional offer to an applicant, a housing provider may only consider a criminal record in the applicant's history that: (1) resulted in a conviction for murder, aggravated sexual assault, kidnapping, arson, human trafficking, sexual assault in violation of N.J.S.2C:14-2, causing or permitting a child to engage in a prohibited sexual act or in the simulation of such an act in violation of paragraph (3) of subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:24-4, or any crime that resulted in lifetime registration in a state sex offender registry; (2) is for an indictable offense of the first degree that was issued, or if the conviction resulted in a prison sentence that sentence concluded, within the six years immediately preceding the issuance of the conditional offer; (3) is for an indictable offense of the second or third degree that was issued, or if the conviction resulted in a prison sentence that sentence concluded, within the four years immediately preceding the issuance of the conditional offer; or (4) is for an indictable offense of the fourth degree that was issued, or if the conviction resulted in a prison sentence that sentence concluded, within one year immediately preceding the issuance of the conditional offer. c. (1) A housing provider may withdraw a conditional offer based on an applicant's criminal record only if the housing provider determines, by preponderance of the evidence, that the withdrawal is necessary to fulfill a substantial, legitimate, and nondiscriminatory interest. (2) If a housing provider withdraws a conditional offer, the housing provider shall provide the applicant with written notification that includes, with specificity, the reason or reasons for the withdrawal of the conditional offer and an opportunity to appeal the denial by providing evidence to the housing provider demonstrating inaccuracies within the applicant's criminal record or evidence of rehabilitation or other mitigating factors. (3) The housing provider shall perform an individualized assessment of the application in light of the following factors: (a) the nature and severity of the criminal offense; (b) the age of the applicant at the time of the occurrence of the criminal offense; (c) the time which has elapsed since the occurrence of the criminal offense; (d) any information produced by the applicant, or produced on the applicant's behalf, in regard to the applicant's rehabilitation and good conduct since the occurrence of the criminal offense; (e) the degree to which the criminal offense, if it reoccurred, would negatively impact the safety of the housing provider's other tenants or property; and (f) whether the criminal offense occurred on or was connected to property that was rented or leased by the applicant. d. (1) the applicant may request, within 30 days after the housing provider's notice of the withdrawal, that the housing provider afford the applicant a copy of all information that the housing provider relied upon in considering the applicant, including criminal records. (2) a housing provider shall provide the information requested under paragraph (1) of this subsection, free of charge, within l0 days after receipt of a timely request. L.2021, c.110, s.5.