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Legal Experts, Domestic Violence Advocates, Homeless Service Providers, Housing Champions and More Sound Alarm Over Piscataway’s Proposed Hotel/Motel Law 2/5/2026 Advocates from the ACLU-NJ, the NJ Coalition to End Domestic Violence, the NJ Coalition to End Homelessness, Coming Home Middlesex County, Monarch Housing Associates, Collaborative Support Programs of NJ, the NJ Harm Reduction Coalition, the Supportive Housing Association of NJ, the NJ Institute for Social Justice, the Returning Citizens Organization, the Housing and Community Development Network of NJ, Bridges Outreach and other state leaders sent a written request to Piscataway’s Mayor and Council yesterday urging them to remove a proposed ordinance from consideration at its February 10, 2026 agenda and to convene a stakeholder working group. The ordinance would limit the number of days individuals may stay in a hotel or motel in the Township to 89 days and empower the business administrator to extend stays for certain groups of people, while excluding anyone who has been charged with—but not convicted of—certain crimes. It would also require hotels and motels to furnish guest registration information to the Township without a warrant, a practice that has already been found unconstitutional by both federal and state Supreme Courts. “We are alarmed by the potential for significant legal and civil rights violations, particularly under New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination and the Fair Chance in Housing Act. Further, we are dismayed by the messaging and video images the Township is using, including those created by AI, to promote this proposal with taxpayer dollars,” the letter states. The authors detailed numerous concerns about the legality of the proposed ordinance, including how it likely violates the U.S. and New Jersey Constitutions. “As domestic violence survivor advocates, experienced housing professionals, supportive housing and reentry service providers, and others concerned about homelessness and community safety, we believe that the proposed ordinance will result in significant harm to the individuals and families you seek to serve.” The letter asks the council to delay its vote and work collaboratively to address issues at two locations in one of Middlesex County’s largest and most diverse communities. “We hope you will remove this proposal from the agenda and move forward with compassion and care toward solutions that address homelessness. We appreciate your attention to these concerns and hope you will work with us to resolve them,” the letter concludes. About the Housing and Community Development Network of NJ # # #
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