By Andrew Martins
Staff Writer
JACKSON – An ordinance that seeks to establish more stringent municipal oversight for landlords has been introduced by the Jackson Township Council.
The ordinance outlines regulations, fees and penalties for landlords who own single-family or dual-family units and rent those units to other individuals. Council members voted unanimously to introduce the ordinance during their May 10 meeting.
Council President Robert Nixon said the measure is necessary given the increase in the number of people who have been buying properties in Jackson in recent years and renting out the units.
“While I think it is great that people look at Jackson as a place to invest, we have to be resolved that their investment does not impede on the quality of life of our residents or on all of our investments in our homes,” Nixon said.
He said the ordinance exceeds the minimum standards set by the state for landlord registration. Nixon said the information provided by a landlord will prove useful for municipal officials and emergency responders.
“[This ordinance will] allow us to track and hold accountable absentee landlords, especially limited liability companies that buy and rent property in Jackson,” Nixon said.
According to the ordinance, which will have a public hearing on May 24 and could be adopted by the council that evening, landlords who own single-family or dual-family units and rent out those units will be required to register with the municipal clerk’s office every year.
At present, landlords only have to register their ownership of a rental property with the municipality once.
A landlord will be required to pay a $100 registration fee, provide contact information for the property owner, report the number of tenants who live in a rental property, state whether the tenants were screened by the landlord and tell the township the number of bedrooms at each property.
Any change to the property or its tenants will have to be registered with the township within 20 days of that change taking place, according to the ordinance. Municipal officials will be permitted to inspect a registered property whenever there is a change in occupants and/or every three years.
In the event that a code official learns of violations at a property, the landlord will have 10 days after receiving a written warning to address the issue. If the violations are not taken care of within 10 days, the ordinance allows Jackson’s housing official to revoke the rental certificate of occupancy attached to that property.
Additional measures could also be taken, including a fine of no more than $500, imprisonment not to exceed 90 days, or both. For each day a violation continues to persist at a property after the first 30 days, the ordinance calls for an additional $50 fine per day.
If more than two separate complaints are made against a registered rental property within a 24-month period, township officials will be able to require the property owner to “post a bond against the consequences of future incidents.”
Any bonds issued as a result of that action would be used to repay Jackson for potential damages caused to public or private property, any future fines levied against the property and any costs for “repressing and prosecuting such incidents of disorderly behavior” totaling between $500 and $5,000.
After two years, if the bond has not been used as a result of infractions, the ordinance allows those funds to revert to the landlord.
