© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales: La versión en español la encontrará al reverso
Looking Out
For Your Legal Rights
®
September 2013
Volume 32, Number 7
The statewide Child Abuse
Registry contains the names
of people who have been
found guilty of child abuse
or neglect.
l What does it mean if I am
on the Child Abuse Registry? Page 2
l
What does a substantiation finding mean? How
do I appeal? Page 3
l
What are established and
non-established findings?
Page 8
Mobile home owners are
also tenants because they
rent space in mobile home
parks. For this reason, mobile home owners are protected from eviction under
the Anti-Eviction Act. Page 9
Know your legal rights if
you are applying for welfare. Page 12
Cuáles Son Sus
Derechos Legales
La versión en
español la encontrará
al reverso.
Published by Legal Services of New Jersey
What is the Child Abuse Registry?
Am I on it?
NEW JERSEY law requires the Division of Child Protec-
tion and Permanency (DCP&P, formerly the Division
of Youth and Family Services or DYFS) to maintain a
statewide Child Abuse Registry. The Child Abuse Registry contains the names of people against whom the
Division or the family court has made a finding of
child abuse or neglect. The Child Abuse Registry is
confidential.
If your children have been removed and you have
a case before a judge at Superior Court, please ask
your attorney about the registry and possible
findings against you.
When the Division receives a referral of abuse or
neglect, a Division caseworker is required by law to investigate the referral within 24 hours of receipt of the
referral and gather information about the allegation
received. After a thorough investigation, the Division
will determine how to handle the case, from providing services to you and your family to potentially removing the children if the children are deemed to be
in imminent danger.
If your children have been removed and you have a
case before a judge at Superior Court, please ask your
Continued on page 2
New Jersey’s Community Legal Education Newsletter
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
continued from page 1
attorney about the registry and possible
findings against you. This article, however, focuses on investigative findings
that do not involve a case before the
Superior Court. Until recently, the Division only made two types of findings: substantiated and unfounded. On April 1,
2013, the Division changed its system.
Now, there are four tiers of findings: substantiated, established, not established, and
unfounded. This article will give you
more information about the four-tier
system, how these findings may affect
your employment and family, and how
to appeal a substantiated finding on the
Child Abuse Registry.
How do I find out the results of the
Division’s investigation?
Sixty days after the Division investigates you and your family, you should receive a letter that tells you what the
outcome was for the investigation of the
referral received by the Division. If the
Division found that the allegation of
child abuse and neglect against you was
substantiated, the letter should also explain that you have 20 days from the date
of the letter to request an appeal of the
finding. You can find more detailed information about sending a letter to request an appeal and all of the steps in
the appeal process later in this article.
What does it mean if I am on the
Child Abuse Registry?
Certain kinds of employers are required to check the Child Abuse Registry when hiring a new employee or
renewing their license. New Jersey law
does not list all of the kinds of employers
required to check the Registry. However, jobs working with children, the elderly, or other vulnerable populations
may require a Registry check. If your
name is on the Child Abuse Registry,
and your employer is required to check
the Registry, you cannot be hired or may
be fired from your job.
In addition to being ineligible for certain kinds of jobs, having your name on
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights®
About Looking Out
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights is published 10 times a
year by Legal Services of New Jersey. If you are a Legal
Services client, you can pick up a copy at your local Legal Services office. You may also read Looking Out on
our website at www.lsnj.org.
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Comments
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Out, we would like to hear from you. Please send all correspondence to:
Editor, Looking Out
Legal Services of New Jersey
P.O. Box 1357
Edison, NJ 08818-1357
[email protected]
This newsletter is for general information only. If you
have a legal problem, you should see a lawyer.
A portion of the cost of this publication was supported
by funds provided by the IOLTA Fund of the Bar of
New Jersey.
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights is a federally registered trademark of Legal Services of New Jersey.
2
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / September 2013
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
the Child Abuse Registry will keep you
from being considered as a relative resource, foster parent, or adoptive parent.
What does a substantiation
finding mean?
If, after investigating your situation,
DCP&P decides that you abused or neglected your child, it will notify you that
it has substantiated abuse or neglect in a
written letter to you. The Division
should close its investigation after 60
days. The administrative substantiation
of abuse or neglect can have negative
consequences for you. It is especially important to know if your investigation has
resulted in a substantiated finding because your information will be deposited in the Child Abuse Registry. Child
Abuse Registry checks are known as
CARI (Child Abuse Record Information) checks and could make you ineligible to be a foster parent, adopt a child,
or do certain types of work.
If you do not agree with the substantiation of abuse or neglect, and you are
not a defendant in a child abuse or neglect case that is in court, you should appeal it by contacting the office identified
in the notice you receive from DCP&P
within 20 days. The Child Abuse Registry
is not accessible to the public. Only certain types of employers and agencies are
allowed to request searches. However,
having your name on the registry is very
serious and could negatively impact you
in the following ways: You may not be allowed to work with children, the disabled, or elderly; you could be fired if
your current employer learns your
name is on the registry; you may be restricted from becoming a foster or
adoptive parent.
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / September 2013
If your investigation results in a substantiated finding, you may appeal the
decision to the Office of Administrative
Law (OAL). The appeal process takes
several steps. Keep in mind that during
all phases of the appeals process you
should try to talk with the Division
and/or the District Attorney General
(DAG) assigned to your case. You
should tell them that you do not want
your information to be put on the Child
Abuse Registry. In some cases, the Division and/or DAG may be willing to
change your substantiated finding to a
finding of established or not established. You should ask and see if the
DAG will consider changing the substantiation finding to a lower tier such as
established or not established.
HOW TO APPEAL A
SUBSTANTIATION FINDING
Step One: Write a letter requesting
an appeal
In order to appeal, you must first
write a letter to the Division within 20
calendar days of when you received notice of the substantiated finding against
you. Your letter should state the following: (1) you want to appeal the substantiated finding; (2) you are requesting an
In order to appeal, you must first write a letter to
the Division within 20 calendar days of when you
received notice of the substantiated finding.
3
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
Read the Division letter carefully. It should help
you better understand the appeal process and
your legal rights. Save this letter for your records.
administrative hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) at the Office of Administrative Law (OAL); and
(3) your name, home address, phone
number, DCP&P case ID number, and
the DCP&P investigation number. You
may also attach a copy of the DCP&P notice to your letter requesting an appeal.
Your letter does not have to be long. It
may be a one-page letter where you are
making a simple request for an appeal of
the substantiation.
Once the Division receives your letter, they will begin to conduct an internal review of your case.
If the Division finds that the facts do
not support the substantiation, they may
rescind (undo) the substantiation without an appeal hearing. This means that
your name will be removed from the
Child Abuse Registry.
During the appeals process, try to talk
to the Division and the DAG to see if
they will change the finding in your case
from substantiated to established, not
established, or unfounded.
4
Step Two: The Division’s letter to you
about the OAL hearing
After the Division receives your letter
requesting an appeal of the substantiation, they will send you a letter. The Division’s letter should:
l State that the matter has been referred to the OAL.
l Give you important information
about the OAL hearing, including:
þ H o w th e h e a r i n g wi l l b e
conducted;
þ How to prepare for the hearing;
and
þ The name and phone number
of the Deputy Attorney General
(DAG) who will represent the
Division at the hearing.
Read the Division letter carefully. It
should help you better understand the
appeal process and your legal rights.
Save this letter for your records.
Step Three: First OAL letter to you
about the schedule of your appeal
After you receive the Division’s letter,
you will receive a letter from the Office
of Administrative Law. That letter will
state:
l That it has received your request
for an appeal of the substantiated
finding of abuse or neglect, and
l The timeline for your appeal.
Read this letter carefully. Save it so
that you can follow the appeal process.
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / September 2013
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
If you do not ask for a postponement and fail to go to the plenary hearing, the ALJ may affirm the substantiated finding, and your name will
remain on the Child Abuse Registry.
Step Four: Second OAL letter to you
about the schedule of your appeal
After the first letter, you will receive a
second letter from the Office of Administrative Law. The second letter will tell
you:
l The date, time, and location of the
pre-hearing conference. (This
conference may be either in person or over the phone.)
l The name of the Administrative
Law Judge (ALJ) assigned to your
case.
The pre-hearing conference. At the
pre-hearing:
l The ALJ will introduce him- or
herself to you.
l You will meet the DAG assigned to
represent the Division.
l The ALJ will decide the timeline
for discovery (exchange of information between you and the DAG
about your case with the Division).
l The ALJ will set the date, time, and
location for hearing your appeal
of the substantiated finding in
what is called a plenary hearing. A
formal Notice of Plenary Hearing
will be sent to you in the mail, stating this information.
You must appear in person for the
plenary hearing. If you are unable to attend the plenary hearing, you must notify the OAL and/or the ALJ in writing
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / September 2013
right away. You must have a very good
reason for asking that the hearing be rescheduled, such as an illness or family
emergency. You may have to document
(show proof of) this emergency.
If you do not ask for a postponement
and fail to go to the plenary hearing, the
ALJ may affirm the substantiated finding, and your name will remain on the
Child Abuse Registry.
Step Five: Discovery (exchange of
information between you and
the Division)
In the meantime, discovery will take
place. Discovery is when you and the Division ask for information from each
other. Start by asking the DAG for a copy
of your Division case file so that you can
review it in preparation for the plenary
hearing. Going through your Division
case file will help you identify information relevant to your case and make
more requests for the right documents
and information to help you support
your position.
Deadline for discovery. All discovery requests must be completed five days before the plenary hearing date. Both you
and the Division will have 15 days to provide the requested information after receiving the discovery request.
Objection to discovery requests. If you or
the Division do not want to provide the
5
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
requested information, you have 10 days
from receiving the discovery notice to
object to the discovery request. All objections must be made by a telephone
conference with the ALJ. You also
should put the objection into writing in
a letter to the DAG and the ALJ.
Compelling (forcing) responses to discovery
requests. If you or the Division want to
compel (force) the other party to respond to a discovery request or object to
a response you have received to your discovery request, you have 10 days from
the notice due date or 10 days from the
date you received the response without
the information to request a telephone
conference with the ALJ about the problem getting discovery.
Keep in mind that the timeline described above is only a general guideline
for discovery and that the ALJ may order
a different set of due dates. If the ALJ
sets a schedule, be sure to follow the
scheduling order for discovery signed by
the ALJ.
Before making a decision, the ALJ will listen to witnesses, listen to the arguments of each side, ask
questions, and review documents.
6
Step Six: Preparing for the
plenary hearing
Prepare documents. While you are requesting and receiving discovery materials, you should also start to prepare for
the plenary hearing. Do this by gathering all important letters, notes, records,
and any other documents related to
your appeal.
Carefully review all of your documents. Organize them so that you can have them
ready for the plenary hearing. Remember that this will be your chance to present evidence that can help you win your
appeal. Keep copies of all documents
that you wish to submit, one set for the
ALJ and one set for the DAG. Make sure
to keep a set of all the documents for
yourself.
Prepare witnesses. You should also start to
identify any witnesses you want to bring
to the plenary hearing to testify in support of your position. Contact them well
in advance of the hearing date to make
sure that they are able to come and that
they will come voluntarily. Prepare each
witness for the testimony that they will
give at the hearing. Make sure that the
testimony is related to your appeal of the
substantiation.
Prepare your argument. It is a good idea to
make a list for yourself of all the points
you wish to make before the ALJ about
why the substantiation should be reversed. Do this so that you do not forget
to mention something that is important
to your case. This is especially important
if you are representing yourself at the
hearing. Remember, this is your chance
to tell the judge why he or she should reLooking Out For Your Legal Rights / September 2013
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
verse the substantiation and remove your
name from the Child Abuse Registry.
Step Seven: Attend the plenary hearing
before the OAL judge
An OAL judge, a DAG, and you will
be at the plenary hearing. You have a
right to represent yourself. You may
have an attorney represent you at the
plenary hearing at your own cost, but
you do not have an automatic right to an
appointed attorney. You may also have
the right to bring a non-lawyer to represent you at the hearing, a relative or
friend to advise you, and any other
people you want to call as your witnesses
at the hearing.
At the hearing, the ALJ will give both
you and the Division the chance to present your case. You will have a chance to
tell the judge why the substantiation
should be reversed. You may also submit
documents in support of your position
and call witnesses to give testimony on
your behalf. The Division will do the
same. Before making a decision, the ALJ
will listen to witnesses, listen to the arguments of each side, ask questions, and
review documents.
During the plenary hearing, be polite
and respectful to the ALJ and the DAG.
Clearly explain what you want the ALJ to
know about the reasons for the substantiation. In an organized manner, explain to the ALJ why he or she should
reverse the substantiation and remove
your name from the Child Abuse Registry. Listen carefully to any questions the
ALJ may ask about the appeal, and answer them thoughtfully. Offer witness
testimony in support of your position.
Remember, the ALJ will decide the
appeal based only on the record made
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / September 2013
before him or her at the hearing. This
includes testimony and the evidence
submitted at the hearing. It is very important to cover all relevant information
about your appeal at the plenary hearing. In particular, emphasize to the ALJ
that the substantiation does not rise to
the level of abuse and neglect as defined
by New Jersey law. Make sure that the
ALJ has enough information to decide
the appeal in your favor.
Step Eight: Receive the Initial
Decision, submit comments, and
appeal the Final Decision
After the hearing, the ALJ will write a
report called an Initial Decision. The
ALJ will mail a copy of this Initial Decision to you and the DAG. This Decision
should state what was said at the plenary
hearing. It should include the ALJ’s
findings about the facts presented by
each party and the laws and policies that
apply to appeal the case. It should also
contain instructions on how to send any
comments you may have on the decision. It should recommend how the
appeal should be decided.
Submit comments on the ALJ’s Initial Decision. Upon receiving the Initial Decision, both you and the DAG have 13
calendar days to submit comments on
the report to the Administrative Hearing Coordinator. Comments may include objections to what was said or
done at the hearing. Comments may
also include objections to finding the
ALJ made in his or her report. If you
plan to submit a comment, you must
clearly state in writing why the judge’s
Initial Decision should be changed,
accepted, or modified, and submit
7
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
If you object to the Final Decision, you have a right to appeal to the
Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey by filing a
Notice to Appeal within 45 days of the date of the Final Decision.
supporting documentation for your
position.
Agency Head issues a Final Decision. Before issuing a Final Decision, the Agency
Head reviews the Initial Decision. The
Agency Head also reviews all the comments it received from you and the
DAG. After reviewing the Initial Decision and the comments, the Agency
Head will issue a Final Decision. The Final Decision is sent to both you and the
DAG.
Appealing the Final Decision. If you object
to the Final Decision, you have a right to
appeal to the Appellate Division of the
Superior Court of New Jersey by filing a
Notice to Appeal within 45 days of the
date of the Final Decision.
What does an
established finding mean?
If the Division’s investigators think after the end of its investigation that your
case does not fall in the substantiation
tier because of aggravating and mitigating factors, but there is still evidence of
abuse or neglect, they may classify your
case as established. Aggravated factors are
things that may support a substantiated
finding. For example, if there is repetition or a pattern of abuse or neglect
from the parent, like repeated drug use
in front of the child, that would be an aggravating factor. Aggravating factors inf l u e n c e th e D i v i s i o n t o m a k e a
8
substantiated finding instead of a lesser
finding, such as established or not established. Mitigating factors would support
an established finding. Examples of mitigating factors would be your actions before the investigation, such as taking
your child to every pediatric
appointment or having had no history
with the Division.
If the Division makes an established
finding, your name will not go on the
Child Abuse Registry, but the Division
will keep your information in their
agency records and it cannot be expunged (erased). If you have several established cases on record, the Division
may eventually decide your case is substantiated and put your information on
the Child Abuse Registry.
Currently, it is unclear how to challenge an established finding. Unlike a
substantiated finding, there is no right
to appeal directly to the Office of Administrative Law. However, you may
have the right to appeal to the Appellate
Division of the Superior Court of New
Jersey. If you would like advice or assistance on appealing established findings,
please contact Legal Services of New Jersey’s Family Representation Project.
What does a
not established finding mean?
If the Division’s investigators think
that abuse or neglect cannot be proven
but the information gathered indicates
to them that the child was nevertheless
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / September 2013
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
exposed to harm or risk, your case will
be found to be not established. Your
name will not be added to the Child
Abuse Registry, but the Division will
keep the information in the agency records and the information cannot be expunged (erased).
As with established findings, it is unclear how to challenge a not established
finding. Unlike a substantiated finding,
there is no right to appeal directly to the
Office of Administrative Law. However,
you may have the right to appeal to the
Appellate Division of the Superior
Court of New Jersey. If you would like
advice or assistance on appealing established findings, please contact Legal
Services of New Jersey’s Family
Representation Project.
Because the Division’s four-tier sys-
tem of findings is so new, it is still unclear how the new categories will affect
families and what they can do to challenge the Division’s decision. In order to
protect your rights as a parent, it is very
important that you understand if the Division has made a finding against you
even if your children have not been
taken away and you do not have to follow
up with a caseworker. If you have any
questions about your investigation, findings, and your right to appeal, please
feel free to contact Legal Services of
New Jersey’s Family Representation Project by calling LSNJ-LAWSM, LSNJ’s statew i d e , to l l - f r e e l e g a l ho t l i n e , a t
1-888-LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529),
Monday through Friday between 8:00
a.m. and 5:30 p.m. You may also apply
r
online at www.lsnjlawhotline.org.
By Amy Travis, LSNJ Law Clerk, supervised by Jey Rajaraman, Supervising Attorney,
LSNJ Family Representation Project
Housing Law: Protections for Mobile Home Tenants
MOBILE HOME owners are also tenants
because they rent space in mobile home
parks. For this reason, mobile home
owners are protected from eviction under the Anti-Eviction Act. They are also
covered by the New Jersey Homestead
Property Tax Credit Act. Court decisions have also established that other
landlord-tenant laws, covering security
deposits, receivership, truth in lending,
landlord identity, discrimination
against children, self-help eviction, distraint, and reprisal (getting even), also
apply to mobile home owners, even
though mobile homes are not specifically mentioned in these laws. Cite:
Fromet Properties, Inc. v. Buel, 294 N.J.
Super. 601 (App. Div. 1996); Pohlman v.
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / September 2013
Metropolitan Trailer, 126 N.J. Super. 114
(Ch. Div. 1973). Mobile home tenants
also have special protections under the
Mobile Home Act. These protections
are explained in the sections that follow.
Requirement for a written lease
The Mobile Home Act requires park
owners to give at least a one-year written
lease to all renters of space within a
month after they move in. This is the
only form of residential tenancy in New
Jersey where a written lease for a particular period of time is required. Cite:
N.J.S.A. 46:8C-4.
However, the park owner may have a
written rule about the style or quality of
the type of equipment to be used by the
9
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
home owner. A mobile home owner
cannot be forced to buy equipment
from a park owner or a particular outlet.
The mobile home owner may sue the
park owner in civil court if this happens.
A mobile home park owner cannot
require a resident to buy either a mobile
home or necessary equipment from a
particular seller. Cite: N.J.S.A. 46:8C-2.
Moving and selling mobile homes
A mobile home park owner cannot
ask a tenant to move his or her mobile
home within the park unless the move is
reasonably necessary. The owner must
also serve the tenant with a 30-day notice. In an emergency, the operator may
move the mobile home but is responsible for all costs for any damages to the
mobile home resulting from the move.
Cite: N.J.S.A. 46:8C-2.
A mobile home owner who plans to
sell his or her home must give written
notice to the park owner. It is unlawful
to try to sell a mobile home without the
park owner’s consent or knowledge. Before selling a mobile home, the seller
must give the buyer an application for
park tenancy. The buyer must then return the application in person to the
park owner or operator. A park owner
The mobile home park owner is responsible for the
general upkeep of the park. This includes the
maintenance of all services agreed to in the lease.
10
has the right to approve who buys a mobile home in the park but cannot deny
anyone without reason. If the park
owner unreasonably refuses to approve
the buyer, the home owner or the intended buyer can sue in Superior Court.
The court can award damages, costs of
the lawsuit, and attorney’s fees. The
court may also require the park owner to
rent to the prospective buyer. A valid
reason for refusal would be an unsatisfactory credit report on the prospective
buyer. Cite: N.J.S.A. 46:8C-3.
A park owner can refuse to approve
an interested buyer if the park has been
legally designated for senior citizens
and the tenant is below the minimum
age requirement. However, in a park
that is not reserved for seniors, discrimination against buyers with children may
be against state and federal law. Please
seek legal advice if you think you are experiencing this type of discrimination.
Disclosure of fees
A mobile home park owner must
make known to the tenants and the public all fees, charges, assessments, and
rules. These disclosures must be in writing and must be given to tenants before
they move in. Any additional fees,
charges, assessments, rules, or changes
must also be in writing and given to mobile home tenants at least 30 days before
the effective date. If the written notice is
not given, the park owner cannot use a
mobile home owner’s failure to comply
as a cause for eviction. Cite: N.J.S.A.
46:8C-2.
It is unlawful for a mobile home park
owner to ask for or receive a donation or
gift directly or indirectly from someone
who wants to rent a space in the park.
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / September 2013
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
This is a disorderly persons offense, and
the owner can be prosecuted in municipal court. If such a payment is made, the
home owner can sue to recover the
amount paid. The judge can award double the amount of the unlawful payment, court costs, and attorney’s fees.
Cite: N.J.S.A. 46:8C-2.
Rent increases and maintenance
Rent increases for mobile home owners are subject to the same notice requirements and other limits, including
rent control if applicable, as those for all
other tenants. The mobile home park
owner is responsible for the general upkeep of the park. This includes the
maintenance of all services agreed to in
the lease. If the park owner does not
maintain the area or services properly, it
constitutes a breach of the warranty of
habitability, and the tenant may seek jus-
tice in the same ways any other tenant
would.
Manufactured Home Owners Association
There is an association of mobile
home owners that can provide information and other assistance to mobile
home owners. Please contact:
MHOA NJ
PO Box 104
Jackson NJ 08527
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (732) 534-0085
This article is an excerpt from Tenants'
Rights in New Jersey, available on our
website, www.lsnjlaw.org. For information about the citations included in this
article, and how to get more information about a particular law, see Finding
the Law in the Landlord-Tenant section
r
of www.lsnjlaw.org.
Articles in this issue are available on our website,
www.lsnjlaw.org.
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© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
Know Your Welfare Rights: Are You Applying For Welfare?
IF YOU ARE trying to get welfare,
SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid, or other
assistance:
l You can complete and file an application online, by going to
www.njhelps.org.
l You can file an application at your
County Welfare Agency. The
agency must take your application
and file it the day you apply, even if
you have to come back to complete it or submit additional paperwork.
l You can file a written application
for SNAP benefits on the same day
you ask for help, even if you are not
applying for welfare. The agency
must give you expedited SNAP
benefits within seven days, if:
þ Your gross income is less than
$150 per month or you have less
than $100 in cash; OR
þ You are a migrant or seasonal
worker; OR
þ Your combined monthly
income and cash on hand is less
than your rent.
l You can fill out a written application for Medicaid on the same day
you ask for help, even if you are
not applying for welfare.
l If you apply for welfare, the agency
must give you emergency help that
you need on the same day you apply, if you are in immediate need
of help because you have no food,
shelter, utilities, or clothing.
l If you apply for welfare, the agency
must immediately take your application for other kinds of emergency help if you are homeless, or
12
l
l
about to lose your housing. This
Emergency Assistance (also called
EA) can be a motel room, a shelter, or a temporary rent subsidy
(TRA) to help you keep or find an
apartment. You can also get EA to
help you pay utility bills, obtain
food, make mortgage payments,
or get clothes or furniture. If you
are eligible, you must be given EA
right away. EA can last up to 12
months. In some cases, you can get
an extension beyond 12 months.
The welfare office must give you
special help if you are a victim of
domestic violence, rape, or incest.
You may be temporarily excused
from some of the work requirements, time limits, and other welfare obligations so that you can
resolve your situation and recover
from it.
You have a right to challenge the
welfare office’s decision (appeal
to a judge) if you are denied any of
these things and you think you
should get them. You can ask for a
fair hearing at the County Welfare
Agency or by calling the Fair Hearing Hotline at 1-800-792-9773.
If you have any questions about your
rights, or think you were treated unfairly
by the welfare office, call LSNJ-LAWSM,
Legal Services of New Jersey’s statewide,
toll-free
legal
ho t l i n e ,
at
1-888-LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529). You
may also apply online for help at
r
www.lsnjlawhotline.org.
This article is one of the flyers in the Know Your Welfare Rights! series, available on www.lsnjlaw.org.
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / September 2013
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights: flip over for English edition
Cuáles Son Sus
Derechos Legales
Septiembre 2013
Los dueños de casas móviles
son también arrendatarios
porque alquilan el espacio en
parques para casas móviles.
Por esta razón, conforme a la
ley contra el desalojo, los
dueños de casas móviles están
protegidos de ser
desalojados.
Looking Out
For Your Legal Rights
Flip issue over for the
English edition of
Looking Out for Your
Legal Rights.
Publicado por los Servicios Legales de Nueva Jersey
DERECHO HABITACIONAL:
Las protecciones para los arrendatarios
que viven en casas móviles
LOS DUEÑOS de casas móviles son también
arrendatarios porque alquilan el espacio en parques
para casas móviles. Por esta razón, conforme a la ley
contra el desalojo, los dueños de casas móviles están
protegidos de ser desalojados. También están
protegidos bajo el programa de rebaja tributaria a la
propiedad para los inquilinos. Las decisiones del tribunal también han establecido que otras leyes que
rigen al arrendatario y al propietario, cubriendo el
continúa en la página 2
El boletín de educación jurídica para los habitantes de Nueva Jersey
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
continúa de la página 1
depósito de garantía, la liquidación judicial, la veracidad en las condiciones de
préstamo, la identidad del propietario,
la discriminación contra los niños, el
desalojo sin la ayuda del tribunal, el
secuestro de bienes y la represalia (la
venganza), también se aplican en casos
pertinentes a los dueños de casas
móviles, aun cuando dicho tipo de
vivienda no sea expresamente
mencionado en estas leyes. Cite: Fromet
Properties, Inc. v. Buel, 294 N.J. Super. 601
(App. Div. 1996); Pohlman v. Metropolitan
Trailer, 126 N.J. Super. 114 (Ch. Div.
1973). Conforme a la ley para las casas
móviles, los inquilinos que residen en
c a s a s mó v i l e s ta m b i é n t i e n e n
protecciones especiales. Estas son
mencionadas en las secciones a
continuación.
El requisito de que se presente un
contrato escrito
La ley para las casas móviles requiere
que todo dueño de un parque le dé a
todo aquel que alquile un lote, por lo
menos, un contrato escrito de un año
antes de que se cumpla un mes de la
fecha en que el inquilino se mude al
lugar. Esta es la única forma de
arrendamiento residencial en Nueva
Jersey donde se requiere un contrato
escrito por un período específico de
tiempo. Cite: N.J.S.A. 46:8C-4.
Sin embargo, el propietario del
parque puede tener una regla escrita
sobre el estilo o la calidad del equipo
que el dueño de la casa móvil pueda
usar. No pueden obligar a ningún
dueño de casa móvil a comprarle el
equipo a un dueño de parque o a un
distribuidor en particular. Si esto pasa,
el dueño de la casa móvil puede
demandar al dueño del parque ante el
tribunal civil.
El dueño de un parque no puede
obligar a ningún residente a comprar la
casa móvil o el equipo necesario de un
vendedor en particular. Cite: N.J.S.A.
46:8C-2.
La mudanza y venta de casas móviles
El dueño de un parque para casas
móviles no puede pedirle a ningún
inquilino mover su casa dentro del
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales
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Editor, Looking Out
Legal Services of New Jersey
P.O Box 1357
Edison, NJ 08818-1357
[email protected]
Números atrasados
Puede ver números atrasados en www.lsnj.org/espanol.
Este boletín de noticias es sólo una información general. Si tiene un problema jurídico, usted debería ver a
un abogado.
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Si se muda, envíenos su nueva dirección y una copia de la
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Una parte del costo de esta publicación se cubrió con
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colegio de abogados de Nueva Jersey.
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
2
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales / Septiembre 2013
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
parque a no ser que la movida sea
razonablemente necesaria. Igualmente,
el dueño debe darle al arrendatario una
notificación de 30 días. En caso de una
eventualidad, el administrador puede
mover la casa, pero se hace responsable
de pagar por todos los gastos producto
de cualquier daño hecho a la casa móvil
durante la movida. Cite: N.J.S.A.
46:8C-2.
El dueño de una casa móvil que
planea venderla debe dar un aviso
escrito al dueño del parque. Tratar de
ve nd e r u na cas a mó vi l s i n e l
consentimiento o conocimiento del
dueño del lote es ilegal. Antes de vender
una vivienda móvil, el vendedor debe
darle al comprador una solicitud de
arrendamiento para un lugar en el
parque. El comprador entonces debe
devolver dicha solicitud en persona al
dueño o administrador del parque. El
dueño del parque tiene el derecho de
aprobar quien compra una casa móvil
que esté localizada en el parque, pero
no puede negarse sin tener una razón. Si
el dueño del parque rechaza la
aprobación sin motivo alguno, el dueño
de la casa o el comprador puede
demandarlo ante el Tribunal Superior.
El tribunal puede concederle un monto
por daños y perjuicios, los gastos del
litigio y los honorarios del abogado. De
igual manera puede requerir que el
dueño del parque le alquile el lote al
comprador. Una razón válida para el
rechazo sería un historial insatisfactorio
del crédito del comprador. Cite: N.J.S.A.
46:8C-3.
El propietario del parque puede
rechazar la aprobación del comprador
interesado si el parque ha sido
designado legalmente como un lugar
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales / Septiembre 2013
para personas de la tercera edad y el
arrendatario está por debajo de los
requisitos de edad. Sin embargo, en un
parque que no es reservado para personas mayores, la discriminación contra
compradores con niños puede ser contra la ley federal y la estatal. Por favor
busque asesoramiento jurídico si piensa
que e s víctima de este tipo de
discriminación.
La presentación de las tarifas
El dueño del parque debe hacerle saber a los arrendatarios y al público todas
las tarifas, cobros, evaluaciones y
reglamentos. Estas explicaciones deben
ser presentadas por escrito y entregadas
al arrendatario antes de mudarse al
lugar. Cualquier tarifa adicional, cobro,
evaluaciones, reglas o cambios también
deben ser hechos por escrito y
p r e s e n t a d o s a l o s ar r e n d a t a r i o s
residentes de viviendas móviles al menos
30 días antes de la fecha de vigencia. Si
no se presenta el aviso escrito y el
inquilino no obedece a algo delineado
en dicho aviso, el dueño del parque no
puede usar tal razón como una causa
para la expulsión. Cite: N.J.S.A. 46:8C-2.
Es ilegal que el dueño del parque
El dueño del parque es responsable del
mantenimiento general del parque. Lo que incluye
el mantenimiento de todos los servicios acordados
en el contrato.
3
© 2013 Legal Services of New Jersey
El dueño de un parque para casas móviles no puede pedirle a ningún
inquilino mover su casa dentro del parque a no ser que la movida sea
razonablemente necesaria.
pida o reciba una donación o regalo
directa o indirectamente de alguien que
quiere alquilar un lote en el parque.
Esto es una ofensa al orden público y el
dueño puede ser procesado en el tribunal municipal. Si se hace tal pago, el
dueño de la casa puede demandar para
recuperar la cantidad pagada. El juez
puede conceder el doble de la cantidad
ilegalmente pagada, los costos de la
causa y los honorarios del abogado.
Cite: N.J.S.A. 46:8C-2.
El aumento al alquiler y el
mantenimiento de la propiedad
Los aumentos al alquiler de todo
dueño de vivienda móvil están sujetos a
los mismos requerimientos y límites que
afectan a todos los otros arrendatarios,
incluyendo el dar aviso y el control del
alquiler, si tal existe. El dueño del
parque
es
responsable
del
mantenimiento general del parque. Lo
que incluye el mantenimiento de todos
los servicios acordados en el contrato. Si
el dueño del parque no conserva
correctamente el área o los servicios, es
constituido como un incumplimiento
de la garantía de habitabilidad y el
arrendatario puede buscar que se haga
justicia de la misma forma que cualquier
otro arrendatario.
La asociación de dueños
de casas móviles
Hay una asociación de dueños de
casas móviles que puede proporcionarle
información y ayuda. Póngase en
contacto:
MHOA NJ
PO Box 104
Jackson NJ 08527
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (732) 534-0085
Este artículo es un resumen sacado de
Los derechos de los arrendatarios en Nueva Jersey: Una guía jurídica para los arrendatarios,
disponible en nuestro sitio web,
www.lsnjlaw.org/espanol. Para obtener
información sobre las citaciones
mencionadas en este artículo, y cómo
conseguir información adicional sobre
alguna ley en particular, visite Cómo se
buscan las leyes que rigen al arrendatario y al
propietario en http://bit.ly/16caP8L. r
Este artículo está disponible en nuestro sitio Web,
www.lsnjlaw.org/espanol.
4
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales / Septiembre 2013