New Jersey § 52:15d-13

§ 52:15d-13.

a. A Sandy-impacted homeowner shall be eligible for a forbearance regardless of whether

the homeowner's primary residence is already the subject of a foreclosure proceeding. The Sandy-impacted homeowner shall apply to the commissioner, on forms to be provided

by the department, for a certification of eligibility for the forbearance under this

subsection before the first day of the third month next following the date when the

commissioner makes the application available pursuant to subparagraph (b) of paragraph

(1) of subsection e. of this section. The commissioner shall approve or deny an application within 30 days of its delivery

to the commissioner. If the application is not approved or denied within 30 days of its delivery, the

application shall be deemed approved. b. The forbearance period shall conclude upon the earlier of: (1) the conclusion of one year following issuance of a certificate of occupancy for

recovery and rebuilding program work; (2) July 1, 2022 ; or (3) regarding a property in foreclosure proceedings, upon the expiration of 10 days

following sheriff's sale. c. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary,

the repayment period of any mortgage subject to the forbearance established in subsection

a. of this section shall be extended by the number of months the forbearance is in

effect. During the time of the forbearance and during the period constituting an extension

of the mortgage, all terms and conditions of the original mortgage, except with regard

to default and delinquency during forbearance, shall continue without modification,

and there shall be no fees assessed for the forbearance, or penalty for early repayment. d. A Sandy-impacted homeowner who was the subject of a foreclosure proceeding as of

August 10, 2015, the effective date of P.L.2015, c. 102 ( C.52:15D-3 et seq. ) shall, upon good cause shown, be awarded, by the court and upon application by the

property owner, a stay in the foreclosure proceedings. An application to the court by a property owner under this subsection shall be made

before the first day of the fifth month next following the effective date of P.L.2017, c. 15 , unless the courts in their discretion permit application submission for a longer

period. The receipt of rental assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as

a result of damage to the homeowner's primary residence due to Superstorm Sandy, or

approval for assistance through the RREM or LMI program, shall constitute good cause

for the award of a stay under this subsection for a period concluding upon the earlier

of: (1) the conclusion of one year following issuance of a certificate of occupancy for

recovery and rebuilding program work; or (2) July 1, 2022 . e. (1) Prior to the first day of the second month next following the effective date

of P.L.2017, c. 15 , the commissioner shall: (a) notify as many Sandy-impacted homeowners as is reasonably possible of eligibility

for a forbearance or stay of foreclosure proceedings; (b) post information on eligibility and the application process for the forbearance

and stay of foreclosure proceedings, and make forbearance applications available,

on the department's Internet website; (c) notify the courts of what individuals and associated properties are eligible for

a forbearance or stay of foreclosure proceedings; and (d) to the greatest extent reasonably possible, notify the State's active mortgage

lenders of what individuals and associated properties are eligible for a forbearance

or stay of foreclosure proceedings. (2) Upon knowledge of a homeowner's eligibility for a forbearance or stay of foreclosure

proceedings, the mortgage lender shall notify the homeowner and the courts. (3) Upon approval of a forbearance application pursuant to subsection a. of this section,

the commissioner shall notify the applicant, the mortgage lender, and the courts. f. Sandy-impacted homeowners awarded a stay of foreclosure proceedings or forbearance,

or both, under this section shall be responsible for the maintenance of the property

during the stay or period of forbearance, or both. After service of notice of any proceedings conducted to terminate forbearance, made

on the mortgagor at an address determined pursuant to due diligence of the movant

mortgagee or creditor to be the actual current residence of the mortgagor, providing

opportunity for the mortgagor to respond and contest the proceedings, a stay of foreclosure

proceedings or forbearance, or both, awarded under this section shall cease immediately

upon a court's determination that the subject residential property has been abandoned

by the Sandy-impacted homeowner. g. Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting the ability of a mortgagee

and residential property owner to participate in a mediation sponsored by the Administrative

Office of the Courts in accordance with the requirements of the mediation program. Nothing in this section shall be construed to impact property tax and insurance

obligations of a property owner related to any real property in the State.