N.J. Stat. tit. 46, ch. 8D

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-1 Short title

This act shall be known and may be cited as "The Cooperative Recording Act of New Jersey." 1987,c.381,s.1.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-2 Findings, declarations

The Legislature finds that issuance of proprietary real estate leases by cooperative corporations and other cooperative legal entities is becoming a popular practice in New Jersey which is usually accomplished by a ledger book transfer to the lessee of stock or another indicia of ownership of an interest in the cooperative corporation or other cooperative entity which owns the real estate and that there is no public record of the transaction. The Legislature further finds that this is a hybrid transaction which is not capable of classification entirely as realty or personalty but that the public perception of a cooperative unit is that it in some manner involves real estate; that members of the public seek protection in cooperative leasing transactions similar to those protections available in transactions for the purchase of real estate, namely, a public title record, title searches to guarantee security of title, freedom from easements or rights in unknown third parties, unpaid liens, unsatisfied judgments, unpaid taxes, freedom from municipal violations, title insurance and the equivalent of a mortgage where a cooperative unit is the asset to be pledged as security for the purchase loan. The Legislature declares that enabling legislation in the form of a cooperative recording act is desirable because it would provide a title registration system for cooperative units and would provide additional revenue to county recording offices and to the State of New Jersey by applying the Realty Transfer Tax to proprietary leases issued by cooperatives and assignments thereof which are not presently covered by that tax. 1987,c.381,s.2.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-3 Definitions

As used in this act: a. "Association" means the entity responsible for the administration of a cooperative which entity may be incorporated or unincorporated, profit or nonprofit. b. "Bylaws" means the governing regulations adopted under this act for the administration and management of the property. c. "Common elements" means: (i) The land described in the master declaration or other documents creating the cooperative; (ii) As to any improvement, the foundations, structural and bearing parts, supports, main walls, roofs, basements, halls, corridors, lobbies, stairways, elevators, entrances, exits and other means of access, excluding any specifically reserved or limited to a particular unit or group of units; (iii) Yards, gardens, walkways, parking areas and driveways, excluding any specifically reserved or limited to a particular unit or group of units; (iv) Portions of the land or any improvement or appurtenance reserved exclusively for the management, operation or maintenance of the common elements; (v) Installations of all central services and utilities; (vi) All apparatus and installations existing or intended for common use; (vii) All other elements of any improvement necessary or convenient to the existence, management, operation, maintenance and safety of the cooperative property or normally in common use; and (viii) Such other elements and facilities as are designated in the master declarations as common elements. d. "Common expenses" means expenses for which the unit lessees are proportionately liable, including but not limited to: (i) All expenses of administration, maintenance, repair and replacement of the common elements; (ii) Expenses agreed upon as common by all lessees or coowners; and (iii) Expenses declared common by provisions of this act or by the master declaration or by the bylaws. e. "Common receipts" means: (i) Rent and other charges derived from leasing or licensing the use of common elements, or other areas of the building not leased or dedicated to exclusive use or possession by a specific lessee or coowner; (ii) Funds collected from lessees or coowners as common expenses or otherwise; (iii) Receipts designated as common by the provisions of this act or by the master deed or the bylaws. f. "Cooperative" means any system of land ownership and possession in which the fee title to the land and structure is owned by a corporation or other legal entity in which the shareholders or other coowners each also have a long term proprietary lease or other long term arrangement of exclusive possession for a specific unit of occupancy space located within the same structure. g. "Limited common elements" means those common elements which are for the use of one or more specified units to the exclusion of other units. h. "Master declaration" means the master declaration as amended and recorded under the terms of this act by which the owner in fee simple or lessee of the property submits it to a cooperative plan of ownership. i. "Owner" means a person listed in the master register as a holder of shares in the cooperative entity. j. "Person" means an individual, firm, corporation, partnership, association, trust or other legal entity, or any combination thereof. k. "Proprietary lease" means a grant of a long term exclusive right of possession and occupancy of a designated unit to a coowner or a grant of a leasehold of the cooperative structure. l. "Unit" means a part of the cooperative structure designed or intended for occupancy and includes the proportionate undivided interest in the common elements and in any limited common elements as assigned in the provisions of the master declaration or any amendment thereof. 1987, c. 381,s.3.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-4 Recording of documents

A county recording officer shall establish and maintain all appropriate books for the recording of documents which are entitled to be recorded under this act. 1987, c. 381,s.4.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-5 Plan of cooperative ownership

A plan of cooperative ownership is created by recording in the office of the county recording officer of the county wherein the land is located a master declaration and master register of all cooperative units allocated for separate occupancy, each of which documents shall be executed and acknowledged by all owners of the land and shall set forth the matters required by sections 6 and 7 of this act. 1987, c. 381, s.5.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-6 Master declaration

The master declaration for a cooperative shall contain the following elements: a. A legal description by metes and bounds and tax lot and block of the lands to be dedicated to the cooperative form of ownership. b. A statement dedicating the land described in the master declaration to the cooperative form of ownership. c. The name by which the cooperative is to be identified, which name shall include the word "Cooperative" or "Coop." d. A copy of the recorded deed which vests ownership in the person who signs the master declaration to create the cooperative. e. A copy of the certificate of incorporation or other organization form creating the association. f. The bylaws which regulate the cooperative. g. The master register containing the information required in section 7 of article 2 of this act. h. A written description and architectural plans prepared to scale by an architect or engineer licensed in New Jersey which detail the improvements existing or to be erected on the lands to create the cooperative and identify the locations and dimensions of the common elements, limited common elements and each cooperative unit. The written description and architectural plans shall be signed, certified and scaled by an engineer or architect authorized to practice his profession in this State. The certification shall state that the description and plans are a correct and accurate representation of the improvements described and shown on the plans. i. The number of votes which may be cast by each cooperative unit owner at any meeting of the cooperative unit owners. j. A statement of existing financing which is a lien on the building and the manner in which the financing will be paid and discharged as a lien before or after closing of units. k. A schedule of owners' percent of common elements which are part of their ownership of shares in the cooperative corporation and which represent their share of common expenses and common surplus. l. Such other provisions, as may be desired, including but not limited to restrictions or limitations upon the use, occupancy, transfer, leasing or other disposition of any unit (if the restriction or limitation is otherwise permitted by law) and limitations upon the use of common elements. m. A method of amending the master declaration which requires recording of any amendment in the same office as the master declaration before it becomes effective. 1987, c. 381, s.6.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-7 Master register

The master register shall contain the following elements: a. Separate identification of each unit by distinctive letter, name or number or combination thereof. b. The percent of common ownership representing each owner's proportionate undivided interest in the common elements; the interests shall be stated as percentages aggregating 100%. c. The name and present address of each present owner and occupant of each identified unit. 1987, c. 381, s.7.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-8 Fees

The county recording officer in each county shall charge the fees prescribed for recording of real property documents for the recording of the documents required in sections 6 and 7 of this article. 1987, c. 381, s.8.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-9 Lands in more than 1 county, state

Whenever a proposed cooperative plan involves lands located in more than one county or state, the proponent of the cooperative shall comply with requirements of this article by recording the documents in each county or state in which any portion of the lands is located. 1987, c. 381, s.9.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-10 Amendments

The master declaration or master register may be amended in the manner set forth therein; provided that no amendment shall affect any cooperative unit unless the possessor of record thereof and the holders of record of any liens thereon join in the execution of the amendment or execute a consent thereto with the formalities of a deed. 1987, c. 381, s.10.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-11 Contents of transfer document, short form memorandum

The sale or transfer of a cooperative share by a proprietary lease or an assignment thereof or other like instrument is achieved by the recording of the transfer document or a short form memorandum thereof which is executed and acknowledged in recordable form and which contains the following information: a. All information set forth in subsections a., b. and c. of section 7 of article 2 of this act and b. The name of the cooperative as set forth in the master declaration and master register, the name of the political subdivision and county in which the property is located and a reference to the recording office, the book and page where the master declaration and master register and any amendment thereto are recorded. c. The unit designation as set forth in the master declaration and register. d. A reference to the last prior transfer of the unit, if previously transferred. e. A statement of the proportionate undivided interest in the common elements appurtenant to the unit as set forth in the master declaration and master register or any amendments thereof. f. The full name and address of the transferor and transferee of the unit. g. An executed and acknowledged consent of the cooperative board of managers authorizing and approving the transfer or assignment. h. The number of shares transferred. i. A statement of the full consideration paid for the cooperative unit which includes the purchase price paid plus the amount derived from application of the percent of ownership held in conjunction with the unit to the unpaid balance of the fee or leasehold mortgage encumbering the entire structure as of the date of the transfer or assignment. j. All other matters, consistent with this act, which the parties may deem appropriate. 1987, c. 381, s.11.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-12 Recording of documents

The documents referred to in section 11 of this article shall be recorded in the office of the county recording office of the county wherein the land is located. The county clerk or register of deeds, as the case may be, hereinafter referred to as the "county recording officer" shall record the documents in the appropriate book for recording of real property instruments of the type presented plus the documents shall be recorded in the master register for the cooperative by indexing to the identified unit. The provisions of P.L. 1979, c. 406 (C. 46:16A-1 et seq.), commonly referred to as the "Real Property Notice of Settlement Act," are applicable. Each document submitted for recording shall be acknowledged, shall contain the name and signature of the person who prepared the document and shall otherwise be in form required for recordation of real estate documents. 1987, c. 381, s.12.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-13 Recording, indexing fees

The transferee shall pay the recording fees for each instrument. In addition, the county recording officer shall levy and collect from the transferor, a fee of $1.00 per page for indexing of the transfer in the master register for the cooperative. 1987,c.381, s.13.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-13.1 Findings, declarations relative to rental housing and cooperatives; agreements, certain, unenforceable

1. a. The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the public interest of the citizens of this State that the availability of rental housing be encouraged. Therefore restrictions imposed by certain cooperative agreements which unreasonably inhibit or prevent the holder of a proprietary lease to a cooperative unit from making the unit available for rental shall be contrary to the public policy of the State of New Jersey and shall be unenforceable. b. Subsection a. of this section shall not apply to: any cooperative in which requirements limiting occupancy to holders of proprietary leases to units were established at the time that the cooperative was created, and which requirements were emphasized in the offering document as an absolute condition of ownership, and have been consistently and strictly enforced since that time, or which requirements were established upon the transfer of control of the association board from the developer to the holders of proprietary leases to units through properly amended bylaws which have been consistently and strictly enforced since the time of amendment . c. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, in those cooperatives which meet the criteria of subsection b. and in which more than ten units are under one roof, when a unit is offered for sale at or below a sales price such that a sale will result in a return of any investment only, and the unit nevertheless remains unsold for four or more months, then the owner shall have the right , subject to the conditions in subsection d. of this section, to rent the unit for such a period of time until prevailing market conditions permit a sale which will allow recoupment of the investment in the unit. For the purposes of this subsection, investment shall include the purchase price, costs related to the acquisition of the property, and the costs of any improvements made to the property. d. Nothing in this act shall prohibit a cooperative association from adopting reasonable rules necessary to protect the health, safety or interest of all of the owners, including rules based on lending policies of financial institutions pertaining to owner-occupancy ratios or from requiring a reasonable minimum term of leasehold, nor shall such associations be prohibited from requiring that all tenants comply with the properly adopted rules of the association which are applicable to other unit owners, including, but not limited to, rules relating to such matters as parking, pets, noise, and the number of permitted occupants per unit. A cooperative association which elects to screen tenants shall interview prospective tenants within seven days of the date of the submission of the tenant's name to the association. Nothing in this act shall grant a tenant any additional rights or protected status under the laws applicable to eviction from rental premises. L.1997,c.366,s.1.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-14 Recording of financing statement security agreement, lien

a. The lender of funds secured by a promissory note and pledge of the stock and proprietary lease of a cooperative unit shall record its lien by the method of recordation provided in the applicable statutes. If the secured transactions laws of N.J.S.12A:9-317 et seq. apply, the lender shall record its financing statement or security agreement in the office of the Secretary of State and the county recording office of the county in which any portion of the lands in which the cooperative unit is located. b. In addition to the recording required pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the cooperative unit lender shall not have a perfected lien unless it records its lien in the master register for the cooperative in the county recording office of the county in which the cooperative unit is located. The lender shall pay to the county recording officer a fee of $1.00 per page for recording of its lien in the master register which shall be in addition to the recording fees applicable to regular recording of the documents. L.1987,c.381,s.15; amended 2001, c.117, s.25.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-15 Liens

Any lien on a cooperative ownership interest is governed by the law designated in the instrument and selected by the lender for recordation of the lien. Any assignment, modification, release or discharge of the lien shall adhere to the recordation procedures set forth in the law selected by the lender; but each document or a summary memorandum thereof shall also be recorded in the master register for the cooperative at a recording fee of $1.00 per page. 1987, c. 381, s.16.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-16 Deed of revocation

Any cooperative property may be removed from the provisions of this act by a deed of revocation duly executed by all unit lessees or the sole owner of the property and the holders of all mortgages or other liens affecting all units and recorded in the master register. 1987, c. 381, s.17.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-17 Resubmission permissible

The removal of any property from the provisions of this act shall not bar the resubmission of the property to the provisions of this act in the manner herein provided. 1987, c. 381, s.18.

N.J. Stat. § 46:8D-18 Adherence to definition of "cooperative"

a. The Department of Community Affairs shall not accept for registration as a cooperative under "The Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act," P.L. 1977, c. 419 (C. 45:22A-21 et seq.), any offering plan which would not result in the creation of a "cooperative" as defined in subsection f. of section 3 of this act. b. No tenant may be removed from a rental premises pursuant to the provisions of section 1 of P.L. 1974, c. 49 (C. 2A:18-61.1) on the grounds that the landlord or owner is converting the property into a cooperative unless the proposed conversion would result in the creation of a "cooperative" as defined in subsection f. of section 3 of this act. 1987, c. 381, s.19.

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