New Jersey A 3481: Revises "Homelessness Prevention Program"; requires new charge for filing of eviction action.

Bill Text

A3481 [2R] FISCAL ESTIMATE 

LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

[Second Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 3481

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

DATED: JULY 1, 2026

SUMMARY

 Synopsis:

 Revises �Homelessness Prevention Program�; requires new 
 charge for filing eviction action.

 Type of Impact:

 Annual State revenue and expenditure increases; potential 
 local expenditure increase.

 Agencies Affected:

 Department of Community Affairs; local agencies that rent 
 dwelling units.

 Office of 
 Legislative Services Estimate

 Fiscal Impact

 Annual

 State Revenue Increase

 Indeterminate

 State Expenditure Increase

 Indeterminate

 Potential Local Expenditure Increase

 Indeterminate

� 
The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that the 
bill�s $75 fee charged for filing an eviction action would result in a State 
revenue increase that is indeterminate, but likely in the millions of dollars 
annually.

� 
There would also be an annual State expenditure increase, as the 
Department of Community Affairs is to utilize the revenue collections from this 
new fee for the purposes of eviction, foreclosure, and homelessness prevention 
services.

� 
The OLS notes that, to the extent a local housing agency owns and 
operates applicable rented dwelling units, the local agency would incur the $75 
charge each time it files an eviction action.

BILL DESCRIPTION

����� This bill makes various revisions to the existing 
Homelessness Prevention Program and establishes an additional fee of $75 to be 
collected for the filing of an eviction action by landlords who lease more than 
three dwelling units, or more than four dwelling units if the structure is 
owner-occupied.� �The bill requires the Office of Eviction Prevention in the 
Department of Community Affairs to use the funds received from the new fee for 
the purposes of eviction, foreclosure, and homelessness prevention services.� The 
bill prohibits a landlord subject to the fee from charging the fee to a tenant.� 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

����� None received.

JUDICIAL BRANCH

����� At the request of the OLS, the Judiciary provided the 
following data on eviction filings Statewide:

 Calendar Year

 Number of 
 Eviction Filings

 2023

 108,269

 2024

 115,401

 2025

 110,972

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

����� The OLS concludes that the bill�s $75 fee charged for 
filing an eviction action would result in a State revenue increase that is 
indeterminate, but likely in the millions of dollars annually.� Based on data 
from the Administrative of the Courts shown above, there was an average of 
111,547 eviction filings Statewide over the last three completed calendar years.� 
For illustrative purposes only, the OLS notes that the $75 fee would result in 
more than $8 million in annual State revenues if it were collected from each landlord 
filing an eviction action. �However, the $75 fee would only be charged to 
landlords who lease more than three dwelling units, or more than four dwelling 
units if the structure is owner-occupied. The OLS does not have information to 
estimate how many landlords filing an eviction action would be charged the new 
fee and how many would be exempt.� Additionally, the OLS notes that the number 
of eviction filings fluctuates annually and can be impacted by macroeconomic 
factors, policy changes, and other considerations.

����� The OLS finds there would also be an annual State 
expenditure increase, as the Department of Community Affairs is to utilize the 
revenue collections from this new fee for the purposes of eviction, 
foreclosure, and homelessness prevention services.

����� The OLS notes that, to the extent a local housing 
agency owns and operates applicable rented dwelling units, the local agency 
would incur the $75 charge each time it files an eviction action.� The OLS 
cannot estimate how many applicable units owned by local agencies would be the 
subject of an eviction action.� Therefore, the potential local expenditure 
increase is indeterminate.

 Section:

 Local Government

 Analyst:

 Grace Ahlin

 Associate Fiscal Analyst

 Approved:

 Thomas Koenig

 Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the 
Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to 
respond to our request for a fiscal note.

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, 
c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).