4. A summary action or otherwise to appoint a receiver to take charge and manage a building may be brought by a party in interest or qualified entity in the Superior Court in the county in which the building is situated. Any receiver so appointed shall be under the direction and control of the court and shall have full power over the property and may, upon appointment and subject to the provisions of P.L.2003, c.295 (C. 2A:42-114 et al.), commence and maintain proceedings for the conservation, protection or disposal of the building, or any part thereof, as the court may deem proper.

A building shall be eligible for receivership if it meets one of the following criteria:

a. The building is in violation of any State or municipal code to such an extent as to endanger the health and safety of the tenants as of the date of the filing of the complaint with the court, and the violation or violations have persisted, unabated, for at least 90 days preceding the date of the filing of the complaint with the court; or

b. The building is the site of a clear and convincing pattern of recurrent code violations, which may be shown by proofs that the building has been cited for such violations at least four separate times within the 12 months preceding the date of the filing of the complaint with the court, or six separate times in the two years prior to the date of the filing of the complaint with the court and the owner has failed to take action as set forth in section 9 of P.L.2003, c.295 (C. 2A:42-122).

A court, upon determining that the conditions set forth in subsection a. or b. of this section exist, based upon evidence provided by the plaintiff, shall appoint a receiver, with such powers as are herein authorized or which, in the court’s determination, are necessary to remove or remedy the condition or conditions that are a serious threat to the life, health or safety of the building’s tenants or occupants.

L.2003,c.295,s.4.