Brick to consider criminal background checks on all renters

BRICK — Brick officials hope uncovering prospective renters' criminal pasts will deter landlords from leasing homes and apartments here to "bad renters."

The Brick Township Council will consider a new ordinance Tuesday that would subject all prospective renters over the age of 18 to criminal background checks.

Mayor John G. Ducey said the change is an attempt to "keep bad renters out of our town" and to hold landlords more responsible.

“They (landlords) can’t just let anybody they want move in because they’re receiving a rent check," he said.

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The rule would give Brick officials the authority to revoke or suspend the certificate of occupancy for any rental unit or units if the landlord fails to screen all the adults living there and provide proof of that screening to township officials. The ordinance doesn't direct landlords to exclude tenants with criminal records, but Ducey makes his preference plain.

“What that is going to prevent is somebody signing a lease, going through the background check and having a clean record, and (then) bringing her boyfriend in, or cousin... who has a long lengthy criminal record," the mayor said.

The screening entails:

a search of landlord/tenant cases in Superior Court where the renter last lived.

all conviction records from municipal court where the renter last lived.

all conviction records from state Superior Court dating back three years.

A landlord would still be permitted to rent a property to someone with a history of criminal or municipal convictions, but now Brick officials will have their names.

Brick already has a "animal house" ordinance in place that enables the township to hold landlords financially responsible when tenants break the law. Representatives of the Property Owners Association of New Jersey were not immediately available for comment on the pending measure.

A public hearing on the proposed ordinance will be held during the Brick Township Council meeting, which will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the municipal building, 401 Chambers Bridge Road.

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Amanda Oglesby: @OglesbyAPP; 732-557-5701; aoglesby@hotmail.com