Trenton council introduces ordinance requiring landlords to give tenants utility notices, doubles repeat fines

Trenton City Council on first reading introduced Ordinance 25-63, requiring landlords or property owners to deliver copies of utility notices to tenants by personal service, certified mail with return receipt, electronic communication, or posting in a publicly accessible place, and doubling fines for repeat violations.

The measure matters because it aims to ensure tenants receive advance notice when utilities may be subject to shutoff or other enforcement actions — a protection council members said is intended to prevent residents from losing water, heat or electricity without warning.

Councilwoman Frances Frisbie pressed staff on how a landlord would verify delivery and suggested limiting posting to a publicly accessible location rather than only putting notices on tenants' doors. Edward Kolodzie, legislative counsel, summarized the ordinance's options as “it gives 4 options,” and counselors and staff agreed the intent was that any one of the listed delivery methods would satisfy the requirement. The council amended the draft to require that posting be both on the tenant's door and in a publicly accessible place in the building; that amendment passed unanimously on roll call.

City Attorney Wesley Bridges told the council any remedy that would let tenants unilaterally withhold rent would conflict with landlord–tenant law. “That's governed by landlord tenant statutes. We would not be able to put in legislation that would trump their obligations under landlord tenant,” Bridges said, and he advised enforcement should rely on inspection and complaint processes rather than creating a new private-withholding remedy.

Council members also agreed to raise the penalty for a second violation to $500 and for a third violation to $1,000. The ordinance was introduced as amended after the votes.

What the ordinance says and next steps: the introduced language requires landlords to provide copies of notices within three business days by one of the listed methods; posting must be in a publicly accessible area in addition to a tenant's door. Enforcement and remedies remain tied to existing municipal enforcement channels and state landlord–tenant law. The ordinance was introduced on first reading; it will return for a second reading and public hearing before any civil fines or enforcement actions under this local rule take effect.

A number of council members asked staff to draft related administrative or ordinance changes — for example, requiring municipal offices to send copies of relevant ordinances to owners or to require certain postings in common areas — to strengthen compliance and tenant awareness.

Votes and formal action: the council approved amendments and then voted to introduce Ordinance 25-63 as amended on a roll call vote.