By Andrew Martins
Staff Writer
JACKSON – The existing landlord registration code in Jackson could soon be updated to fit a shifting population and real estate environment. Township Council members recently discussed possible changes that could be enacted in order to limit potentially improper rental practices and the conversion of buildings to illegal dormitories.
On April 12, council President Robert Nixon said the governing body’s renewed focus on the landlord registration process came about after officials noticed that the number of people buying properties in Jackson and renting them out has increased in recent years.
In an attempt to ensure that landlords are being held accountable for their properties, Nixon said he and Township Attorney Jean Cipriani reviewed the landlord registration process and found it “inadequate” for Jackson’s needs in 2016.
“Jackson is not a sleepy little town in the middle of the woods anymore. We are a bustling, very highly populated community,” Nixon said. “It is very clear that what we have (in terms of landlord registration) is inadequate to meet what I think are the needs of not only our town, but our code enforcement, our public safety and our quality of life.”
Nixon said residents have started to notice residences being converted into what may be rental units that appear to be occupied by multiple tenants. Some instances have resulted in code enforcement and building department violations, he said.
In neighboring Lakewood, an incident on March 3 highlighted the need for a closer look at landlord practices after a house fire revealed the building that burned was being used as an illegal dormitory by more than 20 students of a Jewish school. No one was hurt in the blaze.
Councilman Barry Calogero said the need for additional scrutiny of landlords was immediately apparent, stating, “Jackson is a changing town and we want to make sure we are protecting our residents.”
Officials indicated they will introduce additional requirements for landlord registration.
At present, landlords in Jackson only have to register with the municipality once. Nixon said changes could require landlords to register on an annual basis and to pay a fee “to make sure landlords who want to rent out a single-family home have to come back to us every year with accurate information.”
Officials could require the name and contact information for property owners and the names of tenants who will occupy a rental property. In addition, a person who rents out a property without registering with the township could face fines.
“A lot of things were good in 1990, in 1980, and in the late 1970s and it worked then and it worked well, but things change and move on, especially given the population growth patterns we are having right now,” council Vice President Kenneth Bressi said. “I think you do have to put some teeth into (the landlord registration regulations) and fees and penalties for not registering have to be done.”
Cipriani said there are limits regarding the identification of people who live in a unit. She said that issue would be examined if officials choose to move in that direction.
Nixon said an updated landlord registration ordinance, which may have been introduced at the council meeting on April 26, would be modeled after ordinances that are in place around the state.
“We are not trying to reinvent the wheel here, so there should not be any major uproar with what we are trying to do,” he said. “It is something we need to do and we need to make sure we have this information at our fingertips … by making tweaks that can be enforceable.”
