22A:2-51b Annual appropriation for programs; services provided.
2. a. The Legislature shall annually appropriate monies for the Seton Hall Law School, the Rutgers Law School, Camden location, and the Rutgers Law School, Newark location, to establish experiential housing advocacy programs that provide free legal services to low- and moderate-income tenants who are in need of housing assistance. The experiential housing advocacy programs shall be implemented according to guidance issued by each law school, in consultation with any other law school that establishes the program, subject to the limitations of this section.
b. (1) The experiential housing advocacy programs shall include, but not be limited to, the provision of the following services, free of charge, to low- and moderate-income tenants:
(a) legal counsel and representation in landlord-tenant-related litigation, including, but not limited to, eviction proceedings and actions for unpaid rent;
(b) assistance applying for benefits under any State or federally funded rental assistance program, homeownership assistance program, or any other program providing financial assistance to tenants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic;
(c) legal counsel and assistance related to pre- and post-litigation negotiations with landlords; and
(d) any additional services that the law schools may deem appropriate to assist low- and moderate-income tenants.
(2) The experiential housing advocacy programs shall assist low- and moderate-income tenants residing throughout the State; provided, however, that the programs shall prioritize qualifying tenants who are in need of housing assistance as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The programs may partner with legal services organizations and community-based organizations to conduct community outreach.
(3) The law schools may designate one or more legal services organizations through which the law school may implement the experiential housing advocacy program, provided that the legal services organization shall have experience providing free legal services to low- and moderate-income tenants who are in need of housing assistance.
(4) The experiential housing advocacy programs may include pro bono components in which one or more services may be provided by volunteer students who do not receive course credit for participating in the program.
c. (1) If a law school elects to implement the experiential housing advocacy program, the law school shall designate a licensed attorney in good standing, with experience in landlord-tenant law and civil litigation matters, to supervise the program. The law school may hire such administrative staff as may be needed to support the program. To support the operations of the program, the law school may also hire:
(a) one or more licensed attorneys in good standing, with experience in landlord-tenant law and civil litigation matters; and
(b) one or more recent law school graduates who are not admitted to the New Jersey State Bar Association but who are permitted to practice law in the State pursuant to the Rules of Court, provided that each graduate shall practice under the supervision of an experienced attorney as required by those Rules.
(2) If a law school elects to implement the experiential housing advocacy program through a designated legal services organization, then subject to the availability of funds, the law school shall provide subgrants to the legal services organization to defray the costs of the program. When implementing the program, the designated legal services organization shall allow all students selected by the law school to participate in the program.
d. Before the experiential housing advocacy program may commence operations, the law school may submit an appropriate application, as required under the Rules of Court, in order to become a certified clinical program under those rules. Alternatively, the law school may provide some or all services through an existing clinical program, which has already been certified under the Rules of Court. In either circumstance, the experiential housing advocacy program shall comply with all requirements of the Rules of Court concerning the implementation of a clinical or pro bono program and the representation of litigants by law students.
e. After the first year of operations, and each year thereafter, the Seton Hall Law School shall submit a report to the Governor and to the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), detailing the operations of each experiential housing advocacy program established pursuant to this section. At a minimum, the report shall indicate the number of tenants who received assistance through each program and the service provided to each tenant. The Rutgers Law School, Camden location, and the Rutgers Law School, Newark location, shall provide Seton Hall Law School with any information necessary to complete the report.
f. Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring the Seton Hall Law School, the Rutgers Law School, Camden location, or the Rutgers Law School, Newark location, to establish or implement the experiential housing advocacy program.
L.2021, c.181, s.2.