Pompton Lakes council adopts state-mandated lead inspection rule for rental housing

Pompton Lakes Borough Council voted to adopt Ordinance 24-23, revising local code to implement New Jersey’s requirement for lead-based paint inspections and to establish fees for inspections of certain rental dwellings.

The ordinance requires owners of rental units built before 1978 to obtain a legacy certificate within two years of adoption and to secure inspections when tenancy changes occur, with periodic re-issuance on a three-year cycle as required by state law. Administration told the council the borough may offer inspection services to residents or allow property owners to retain private contractors.

During public comment, resident Brady Hinton of 443 Montclair Avenue said the recurring inspection schedule and cost are “ridiculous,” noting many landlords and small property owners could face substantial expenses. Administration responded that private contractors generally charge about $150–$400 depending on house size and that the borough set its contractor fee intentionally high to encourage private inspections; staff said they are pursuing options to make inspections more affordable, including potentially training a DPW employee to be certified.

Council discussion emphasized the borough is implementing a state requirement rather than a local policy choice. The ordinance passed in a roll-call final-adoption vote; Councilwoman Kent recorded the lone 'no' vote on the final adoption roll call, and the motion otherwise carried.

The next procedural step is codification of the ordinance and publication of the local inspection process and fee schedule; staff said an RFP for qualified inspection contractors will be considered at a future meeting.