Jackson, NJ Rental Property Rules: Rent Control (2026)

Chapter 334, readopted March 24, 2026 by Ordinance No. 06-26, creates the Apartment and Manufactured Home Park Rent Leveling Board, five members and two alternates appointed by the Mayor with Council consent for four-year terms, plus a board attorney, accountant and Code Enforcement liaison under § 334-2. The Board issues rules, hears landlord applications for rent increases, and can order punitive measures for violations under § 334-3. Section 334-10 caps the annual CPI-based increase at 4.25% for housing units and apartments and 2.5% for manufactured home lots, applied to the tenant's existing base rent, and landlords must give tenants and the Board 60 days' notice of the calculation before an increase takes effect.

Section 334-9 exempts hotels, motels and boardinghouses serving transient guests, public housing, school dormitories, apartment complexes of nine rental units or fewer, landlords owning four or fewer manufactured homes, newly constructed units for two years, and substantially rehabilitated buildings whose assessed value rose 75%. Decisions can be appealed to a Township Council subcommittee within 10 business days under § 334-4. A violation, including an unauthorized increase or failure to appear before the Board, is punishable by a fine of not more than $2,000 per violation or up to 90 days' imprisonment, or both, under § 334-30, and unpaid fines cost the landlord vacancy-decontrol privileges for five years.