landlord coronavirus resources new york new jersey

While we are all being asked to “stay home” and do our bit for public health, the economic changes that have accompanied the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic have a lot of people in New Jersey concerned about the roofs over their heads.

How will tenants pay mortgages when their incomes have been slashed, and how will landlords repay mortgages without rent income?

Table Of Contents For NJ Landlords During COVID-19

The federal government has recently passed the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act, which specifically includes measures to help relieve the pressure associated with housing.

The act mandates forbearance on all mortgages that are backed by the federal government, allowing payments to be deferred for up to one year (CARES Act 4022/3). It also provides for the suspension of all evictions for federally backed mortgages and from dwellings that are part of specific federal schemes (CARES Act 4024).

There are currently no specific federal measures for tenants living in rented accommodation.

For more information, visit:

Department Of Housing And Urban Development’s (HUD) Information And Resources

To find out more about specific measures and resources for the state of New Jersey, continue reading below.

Mortgage Forbearance For Coronavirus In New Jersey

Mortgage Forbearance For Coronavirus In New Jersey

The state of New Jersey has worked with its lenders to ensure a 90-day (in the first instance) forbearance period on mortgage payments. This allows those with home loans to pause payments on their mortgage, without suffering any of the penalties usually associated with missing payments. The relief is currently only available for residential mortgages.

Agreements have been reached individually with more than 40 federal and state financial organizations. You can see the list of participating financial organizations here. Homeowners should work directly with their mortgage providers to gain access to these relief measures.

No specific measures have been passed to provide payment relief to renters, but the governor has specifically stated that he expects landlords receiving mortgage relief to pass this on to tenants.

The Governor is currently in similar conversations with utility providers to organize a similar moratorium on payments.

For more information, visit:

Department Of Banking And Insurance, New Jersey

Evictions And Nonpayment Due To Coronavirus In New Jersey

The governor of New Jersey has passed an executive order mandating a 60-day moratorium on evictions. This does not absolve tenants of their obligation to pay their rent in accordance with their tenancy agreement, only that they cannot be evicted for failure to do so.

Governor Murphy urged landlords to come to reasonable arrangements with renters whose incomes have suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also promised to come down hard on landlords that needlessly evict tenants.

Unlike in the neighboring state of New York, new eviction cases may still be brought and heard during the moratorium period. However, state officials will do nothing to remove tenants during the period of the moratorium.

For more information, visit:

Official Site Of The State Of New Jersey

Resources For Tenants During Coronavirus In New Jersey

Resources For Tenants During Coronavirus In New Jersey

Complementing the general economic relief for workers offered by the CARES Act, the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Financing Agency are offering a free counseling service for both mortgage holders and tenants to support them in making appropriate arrangements to maintain their housing during this difficult time.

For those facing particular financial challenges, several charities across the state have opened up their financial support programs to those whose income has been hit by COVID-19, and whose housing is now at risk. A full list of the participating charities is available here.

For more information, visit:

New Jersey Housing And Mortgage Financing Agency
New Jersey Apartment Association
New Jersey Housing Resource Center

Can I Show A Rented Unit In New Jersey During Coronavirus?

The state of New Jersey has not introduced any specific restrictions around the normal movement of tenants during the COVID pandemic. Moving companies have been deemed a vital service and are still operating.

The only legal restriction on tenant movement is linked with the moratorium on evictions, which means that if a tenant’s lease is up, they cannot be forced to leave the premises if they do not wish to.

There are also no specific restrictions on showing units, including rented units, though landlords are expected to protect the health and safety of both residents and visitors to the property. This means minimizing potential exposure to the pathogen through the use of masks and appropriate social distancing. Advice on best practice is provided by the CDC.

Rented units should not be shown if: 

1. The current residents are in isolation (because they have tested positive to coronavirus, have related symptoms, have been exposed to COVID-19 but are awaiting testing, or are in a high-risk group), or 

2. The showing could be construed as a threat of eviction to the current residents.

For more information, visit:

Centers For Disease Control And Prevention