TRENTON – Attorney General Peter
C. Harvey and Division
on Civil Rights Director J. Frank
Vespa-Papaleo announced today that multiple-dwelling
landlords in New Jersey can now submit
on-line their State-mandated annual reports
detailing the racial and ethnic composition
of housing applicants and leaseholders.
According
to Harvey, the owners of New Jersey apartment
buildings containing 25 or more housing
units must file updated demographic data
bringing them into compliance with the
State Multiple Dwelling Reporting Rule
(MDRR) by Jan. 31, 2005 or face the possibility
of late-filing penalties. Data included
in an annual MDRR report must cover the
period from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31 of
the previous year. As of January 1, landlords
were able to file their MDRR reports online.
“These
MDRR reports are important because they
give us a snapshot of the rental activity
taking place at multiple dwelling apartment
buildings and complexes throughout the
State,” the Attorney General said.
“The reports help us to ensure that
landlords are opening their buildings
to all citizens regardless of race, religion,
ethnicity, or disability, and they help
us to identify situations in which discriminatory
practices may be taking place.”
Director Vespa-Papaleo said the creation
of a “paperless” filing system
will make it easier for landlords to comply
with the law.
“By
enabling online filing of MDRR reports,
the Division has made complying with the
mandatory reporting requirement simple,
cheap and efficient for apartment owners
and landlords,” said Vespa-Papaleo.
“At the same time, we are making
better use of available technology to
gather information that will help us discern
potential patterns of housing discrimination
and launch investigations when necessary.”
In
addition to demographic information on
housing units, the MDRR reports also include
information on the amount of access apartment
owners provide to persons with disabilities.
The Division already makes MDRR annual
report forms available for downloading
on its Web site: www.NJCivilRights.org.
Vespa-Papaleo explained that landlords
who fail to meet their obligation under
the Multiple Dwelling Reporting Rule are
subject to fines of up to $10,000 for
a first offense, up to $25,000 for a second
offense, and up to $50,000 for a third
offense.
The Division on Civil Rights is responsible
for enforcement of the New Jersey Law
Against Discrimination and the Family
Leave Act. Specifically, the Division
investigates allegations of discrimination
in employment, housing, places of public
accommodation and credit. The Division
has six offices located in Trenton, Newark,
Jersey City, Camden, Atlantic City and
Paterson.
For information about filing MDRR reports
online or other services offered by the
Division on Civil Rights, go to the Division’s
Web site, or call 609-292-4605,
TTY 609-292-1785.