Fair Housing: New Jersey

This page is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute, and should not be construed as, legal advice. This page is not intended to provide a mandatory standard of care for the industry. Please consult with local counsel before taking any action based off of the information provided. 

On these pages, you will find information about 1) the protected classes in each state’s fair housing law, 2) protected classes in the cities and counties in the state’s three largest city or metropolitan areas, and 3) protected class information in additional jurisdictions of interest to NAA members. We highlight source of income protections, where applicable, that could substantially impact industry operations. Please see the footnotes. NAA also has resources on the federal fair housing protections that apply nationwide.

We are currently in the process of optimizing NAA’s Fair Housing Protected Class Resources. If you do not see a jurisdiction of interest, please reach out to the NAA Government Affairs Team at [email protected].

Information on this page is current as of September 2022.

New Jersey Protected Classes

(State of New Jersey Statutes §§ 10:5-12[g], [l])

  • Race

  • Color

  • National Origin

  • Religion

  • Sex

  • Familial Status

  • Disability

  • Age

  • Ancestry

  • Creed

  • Marital Status

  • Civil Union/ Domestic Partnership Status

  • Gender Identity

  • Gender Expression

  • Sexual Orientation

  • Affectional Orientation

  • Service in the Armed Forces

  • Nationality

  • Source of Income1

1“Source of Income” includes subsidies or vouchers provided by federal, state, or local rental-assistance programs including Section 8 housing choice vouchers, rental assistance obtained from the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program (CVERAP), State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP), and temporary rental assistance (TRA). (Not defined in statutory code).

his section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Camden County Government)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Cherry Hill Protected Classes

(Cherry Hill Municipal Code §§ 14-17.1 et seq.)

In addition to enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Display of American Flag
  • Existing Tenant Status
  • Genetic Information
  • Pre-disposing Genetic Characteristics
  • Refusal to submit to testing or refusal to provide genetic information

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Bergen County Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

East Rutherford Protected Classes

(East Rutherford Municipal Code §90-3)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Englewood Protected Classes

(Englewood Municipal Code §311-25)

In addition to enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Ethnicity
  • Religational Origin

Fort Lee Protected Classes

(Fort Lee Municipal Code § 319-5(F))

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Hackensack Protected Classes

(Hackensack Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Lyndhurst Protected Classes

(Lyndhurst Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Hudson County Local Laws)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Bayonne Protected Classes

(Bayonne City Ordinances)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Harrison Protected Classes

(Harrison Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Hoboken Protected Classes

(Hoboken Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Jersey City Protected Classes

(Jersey City Municipal Code § 148-1 et seq.)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

North Bergen Protected Classes

(North Bergen City Ordinances)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Secaucus Protected Classes

(Secaucus Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Weehawken Protected Classes

(Weehawken Municipal Administration)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

(Essex County Local Laws)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Bloomfield Protected Classes

(Bloomfield Municipal Code §§ 5-112 through 5-116)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Newark Protected Classes

(Newark Municipal Code Ch 18:8-1.4)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Passaic County Ordinances)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes.

Paterson Protected Classes

(Patterson Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Wayne Protected Classes

(Wayne Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Middlesex County Board of Commissioners' Agendas)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

New Brunswick Protected Classes

(New Brunswick Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Plainsboro Protected Classes

(Plainsboro Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Morris County Government)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Morris Plains Protected Classes

(Morris Plains Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Morristown Protected Classes

(Morristown Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Somerset County Ordinances)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Raritan Protected Classes

(Raritan Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Union County Ordinances)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Union Township Protected Classes

(Union Township Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes (Ch. 76 Est. a Human Relations Commission)