Resources

Get Help Right Now

• Emergency (in danger): 911

• Newark Police (non-emergency): (973) 733-6000

• NJ 2-1-1 (statewide help with housing, utilities, food, mental health): dial 2-1-1 or nj211.org

• NJ Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline (24/7): 1-800-572-SAFE (7233)

• NJ Mental Health Help Line: 1-866-202-HELP (4357)

• Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988

Free & Low-Cost Legal Help

• Office of Tenant Legal Services (Newark) — Free legal help for income-eligible Newark tenants facing eviction or landlord-tenant issues. (973) 877-9424 · OTLS@ci.newark.nj.us · newarknj.gov/617/Office-of-Tenant-Legal-Services

• Volunteer Lawyers for Justice — Tenancy Program — Free representation for low-income Essex County tenants facing eviction. (973) 943-4754 (eviction line) or (973) 645-1955 · vljnj.org/tenancy-program

• Legal Services of New Jersey — 1-888-LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529) · lsnj.org · Online self-help: lsnjlaw.org

• NJ Find Legal Aid Near You — nj.gov/basicneeds/legal-aid/find-legal-aid.shtml

• Essex County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service — (973) 622-6207 · essexbar.com

• NJ State Bar Lawyer Referral Service — 1-800-792-8315 · njsba.com

Newark City Offices

• Division of Rent Control — Verifies registration; handles rent adjustment petitions; explains caps and exemptions. 920 Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson Blvd., Room 111, Newark, NJ 07102 · (973) 733-3675 · rentcontrol@ci.newark.nj.us · newarknj.gov/255/Division-of-Rent-Control

• Code Enforcement (Division of Enforcement & Inspections) — Housing code complaints for 1–2 unit homes; property maintenance issues. (973) 733-3813 · General city complaints: (973) 733-4311 · newarknj.gov/544/Division-of-Enforcement-Inspections---Co

• Department of Health & Community Wellness — Mold, pests, lead paint, environmental health. (973) 733-7592 · newarknj.gov/178/Health-Community-Wellness

• Non-Compliant Landlord List — Public list of Newark landlords with outstanding violations. newarknj.gov/666/City-of-Newark-Non-Compliant-Landlord-Li

New Jersey State Agencies

• NJ Department of Community Affairs (DCA) — Division of Housing & Community Resources — nj.gov/dca/dhcr

• NJ DCA Bureau of Housing Inspection — Habitability inspections for buildings with 3+ units. (609) 633-6227 · BHIInspections@dca.nj.gov · nj.gov/dca/divisions/codes/offices/bhi.html

• NJ DCA Office of Eviction Prevention — Eviction diversion, mediation, rental assistance referrals. nj.gov/dca/dhcr/offices/dhcroep.shtml

• NJ Division on Civil Rights — Housing discrimination complaints under NJ Law Against Discrimination. (973) 648-2700 (Newark regional office) · njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-on-civil-rights-dcr

• HUD (federal) — Fair Housing Complaints — 1-800-669-9777 · hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint

• NJ Attorney General — Illegal Evictions Directive (AG Directive 2021-2) — nj.gov/oag/dcj/agguide/directives/ag-Directive-2021-2_Illegal_Evictions.pdf

Courts

• NJ Courts — Landlord/Tenant Self-Help — Forms, fees, what to expect at trial. njcourts.gov/self-help/landlord-tenant

• NJ Courts — Small Claims Self-Help — For security-deposit recovery and similar money disputes. njcourts.gov/self-help/small-claims

• Essex County Superior Court — Special Civil Part (Landlord/Tenant) — 50 W. Market St., Room 132, Newark, NJ 07102 · (973) 776-9300 · njcourts.gov/courts/superior/essex

Rental & Eviction Assistance

• NJ State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) — Income-based rental subsidy. (609) 490-4550 · nj.gov/dca/dhcr/offices/srap.shtml

• NJ Comprehensive Eviction Defense & Diversion (CEDD) — Free attorney + resource navigator for income-eligible tenants facing eviction; available in every county. nj.gov/dca/dhcr/offices/dhcroep.shtml

• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark — Housing & Emergency Assistance — (973) 596-4100 · ccannj.org

• NJ Eviction Defense Tool (DCA, 2025) — Free online tool that helps tenants identify defenses to eviction. nj.gov/dca/news/news/2025/20250723.shtml

NJ DCA Handbooks & Bulletins (free PDFs)

• Truth in Renting (the big handbook) — nj.gov/dca/codes/publications/pdf_lti/t_i_r.pdf

• Security Deposit Law — nj.gov/dca/codes/publications/pdf_lti/sdepsit_law.pdf

• Security Deposit Bulletin — nj.gov/dca/codes/publications/pdf_lti/secty_deposit_bulletin.pdf

• Grounds for Eviction Bulletin — nj.gov/dca/codes/publications/pdf_lti/grnds_for_evicti_bulltin.pdf

• Eviction Process (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-53) Bulletin — nj.gov/dca/codes/publications/pdf_lti/evic_law.pdf

• Reprisal (Retaliation) Law — nj.gov/dca/codes/publications/pdf_lti/reprisal_law.pdf

• Habitability Bulletin — nj.gov/dca/codes/publications/pdf_lti/habitablity.pdf

• Lead-Based Paint in Rental Dwellings — nj.gov/dca/codes/publications/pdf_lead/lead_based_paint_guide_rental_dwellings.pdf

• Rent Increase Bulletin — nj.gov/dca/codes/publications/pdf_lti/rnt_incrse_bultin.pdf

Key Laws & Statutes

New Jersey statutes (N.J.S.A.):

• 46:8-19 — Security deposit, investment, interest. law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-46/section-46-8-19

• 46:8-21.1 — Return of deposit (30 days, double damages). law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-46/section-46-8-21-1

• 46:8-9.6 — Safe Housing Act (early lease termination for survivors). law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-46/section-46-8-9-6

• 2A:18-61.1 — Anti-Eviction Act (grounds for eviction). law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-2a/section-2a-18-61-1

• 2A:18-55 — Payment of rent stops a non-payment eviction. law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-2a/section-2a-18-55

• 2A:39-1 — Forcible entry and detainer (illegal lockout — civil remedies). law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-2a/section-2a-39-1

• 2C:33-11.1 — Self-help eviction (criminal: disorderly persons offense). law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-2c/section-2c-33-11-1

• 2A:42-10.10 to 10.14 — Anti-Reprisal Act (retaliation, 90-day presumption). law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-2a/section-2a-42-10-10

• 10:5-12 — NJ Law Against Discrimination (housing). law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-10/section-10-5-12

• N.J.A.C. 5:28A — Lead-Based Paint in Rental Dwellings (regulations). nj.gov/dca/codes/codreg/pdf_regs/njac_5_28A.pdf

Newark Municipal Code (Title XIX — Rent Control):

• Chapter 19:1 — Rent Control in Substandard Multiple Dwellings. ecode360.com/36623731

• Chapter 19:2 — Rent Control Regulations; Rent Control Board (this is the main rent-control law). ecode360.com/36623772

• Chapter 19:3 — Provision of Legal Services in Eviction Proceedings. ecode360.com/36623969

Key case law:

• Marini v. Ireland, 56 N.J. 130 (1970) — Implied warranty of habitability; basis for repair-and-deduct and rent withholding. Overview: lsnjlaw.org/legal-topics/housing/landlord-tenant/repairs-habitability

Domestic Violence & Safety

• NJ Statewide DV Hotline (24/7): 1-800-572-SAFE (7233)

• NJ Safe Housing Act (LSNJ Guide):lsnjlaw.org/legal-topics/family-relationships/domestic-violence/other-laws-dv/pages/njsafe-housing-act-aspx

• Essex County Family Justice Center: (862) 273-4994 · essexcountynj.org/family-justice-center

• Rachel Coalition (Essex County DV services): (973) 740-1233 · rachelcoalition.org

Discrimination Complaints

• NJ Division on Civil Rights — (973) 648-2700 · njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-on-civil-rights-dcr

• HUD Fair Housing — 1-800-669-9777 · hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint

• Fair Share Housing Center — Statewide affordable-housing advocacy. fairsharehousing.org