Mayor Joseph V. Doria, Jr. announced that the City of Bayonne is developing a new strategy for combating illegal housing units. Doria said, “We are developing a comprehensive program to follow up on complaints about illegal apartments and other unauthorized housing units. The Fire Prevention Bureau, the Law Department, and the Zoning Officer will be working together to attack this problem.”
Doria continued, “Normally, the Fire Prevention Bureau would not have the legal authority to inspect a two-family home. However, if municipal departments find evidence that what is registered as a two-family actually contains more housing units, we will take action.”
Since the recent death of a man in an unauthorized attic housing unit on 11th Street, the Fire Prevention Bureau, the Law Department, and the Zoning officer have all followed up on reports of allegedly illegal housing units. Officials will be examining evidence of the existence of housing units, which include addresses, utility accounts, and mail deliveries. Doria said, “If evidence suggests that a building contains more than the registered number of housing units, municipal inspectors will visit or revisit the premises as needed. The officials involved will be on the lookout for evidence that landlords may have lied when they signed affidavits attesting to the number of units in their buildings.”
Anyone who would like to make a complaint about allegedly illegal apartments or other unauthorized housing units should call the City Service Line at 201-858-6344.
