New Jersey § 52:27bbb-18

§ 52:27bbb-18.

Any person hired in a position for which the residency requirement has been waived

or as a police officer or firefighter after the adoption of the municipal management

study, and who purchases a home in the qualified municipality and occupies that home

as a principal residence shall, subject to appropriation, receive an annual stipend

of 10 percent of the person's base salary upon proper claim made therefor each year

to the Department of Community Affairs, so long as the claim is made during the rehabilitation

term, subject to appropriation. The department shall pay the stipend upon satisfactory proof by the applicant that

the dwelling for which the stipend is being paid continues to be occupied as a principal

residence by the applicant. An employee may receive this stipend for a period of five years; however, the requirement

that the dwelling be occupied as a principal residence shall extend to the period

of rehabilitation and economic recovery. Any person who does not continue to occupy the residence for which that person receives

the stipend for the entirety of the period of rehabilitation and economic recovery

shall be required to reimburse the State for the entire amount of the stipend received. A municipal tax lien shall attach on the property for which the stipend is being paid,

at the time the annual stipend is paid by the State in the amount of stipend received

by the applicant. The lien shall have the same status and shall be given the same effect as municipal

liens established under R.S.54:5-9 . The lien shall remain on the property until the expiration of the period of rehabilitation

and economic recovery, or until the entire amount of the stipend paid to the applicant

has been reimbursed back to the State, should the applicant not continue to occupy

the residence for the entire period of rehabilitation and economic recovery. The amount of the stipend to be reimbursed to the State shall also be a personal

debt of the applicant, and both the lien and the debt shall be recoverable in the

name of the State by means of any remedy available at law. The chief operating officer shall each year compile a list of those employees eligible

to receive the stipend, which shall be used by the department to verify eligibility. An employee who receives the stipend shall be ineligible to receive the property

tax credit authorized pursuant to section 56 of P.L.2002, c. 43 ( C.52:27BBB-55 ). The commissioner shall annually submit a list to the State Treasurer of those persons

who receive the stipend.