New Law After Hoboken Landlords Allegedly ‘Ignore’ Mold Issues

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken is now one of the first municipalities in the state to regulate mold in local homes, officials announced Monday.

According to a city news release, a new municipal ordinance recently went into effect that regulates mold in residential homes. Currently, there are no New Jersey state laws that regulate mold in dwellings, making Hoboken one of the first municipalities in the state to regulate the health hazard, officials stated.

The legislation came after dozens of tenants across the city reached out to Caroline Caulfield, Hoboken’s chief of constituent affairs, to raise concerns about “persistent mold issues being ignored by landlords,” officials stated.

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According to municipal officials:

“The city determined that in the absence of remediation planned by building owners, there were no local or state regulations to cite for mold contamination. In an effort to protect Hoboken residents from this major public health concern, Mayor Ravinder Bhalla asked the city's Department of Health and Human Services to draft the legislation. This ordinance was passed unanimously by the City Council, giving residents an avenue to have their concerns addressed.”

Hoboken residents who need to report a substantial mold issue that is not remediated by a landlord or property owner can request an inspection by calling the Health Office at 201-420-2000 ext. 5205. Residents may also report a substantial mold issue through the Hoboken 311 website or by downloading the Hoboken 311 mobile app.

“We want to make sure every resident is safe in their own home, especially children, and the new regulation will give the city the ability to regulate the unhealthy growth of mold,” Bhalla said. “This will allow any concerned resident to contact our Health Office, which can now help ensure tenants have mold-free living conditions.”

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