Trenton, NJ Rental Property Rules: Just Cause Eviction (2026)

Trenton Code § 222-13, in Chapter 222, Rent Control, makes it unlawful for a landlord to evict or fail to renew the lease of any tenant, or to take any other reprisal step regarding services or otherwise, because the tenant petitioned the Rent Stabilization Board for an order disallowing a proposed rent increase, or because the tenant exercised any other power or procedure the chapter provides. It is likewise unlawful to use such steps to compel, induce or encourage a tenant to vacate. This protection sits alongside the Board's broader authority: under § 222-12, a tenant may petition to challenge a rent increase on grounds including failure to maintain essential services or a defective habitability condition, improper calculation or notice, or facts the landlord relied on; § 222-14 sets the hearing procedure, including a quorum that must include a landlord member, a tenant member and a neutral member, and requires all Board notices to be issued in both English and Spanish.

The chapter applies citywide to rental dwelling units subject to rent control, rolling rents back to their December 31, 1996 levels and voiding any inconsistent lease terms. Because Chapter 222 predates and operates independently of the state Anti-Eviction Act, this local retaliation bar is a distinct, additional protection available to Trenton tenants who invoke rent control procedures, separate from the statutory just-cause grounds set by state law.