Jackson Township is tightening its oversight of rental properties through a new ordinance passed on first reading by the Township Council, forming a new department – the Bureau of Housing Rentals – and introducing stricter requirements for landlords who lease out residential units.
The updated ordinance revamps the township’s landlord registration law and aims to improve safety, accountability, and transparency in the local rental housing market. The final vote is set for July 22.
Key Changes Landlords Need to Know:
1. Annual Inspections Required
All rental units (excluding owner-occupied two-family homes) must now be inspected at least once a year—and every time a new tenant moves in. The inspections are necessary for landlords to receive or renew a certificate of occupancy, which is required before a tenant can legally live in the unit. The inspection fee is $100.
2. Monthly Inspection Calendar
Inspections will be organized by street name, with a month assigned to each set of street initials. For example, homes on streets starting with “A” or “B” will be inspected in January, while those on “X,” “Y,” “Z,” or numbered streets will be inspected in December.
3. Higher Fees for 2026
Landlord registration costs are increasing. For the remainder of 2025, the annual registration fee is $125. Starting January 1, 2026, the fee will rise to $225 per property per year.
4. More Paperwork
Landlords must submit detailed information for every rental unit, including:
- Full contact details for the owner, managing agent, and mortgage holder
- Number and layout of bedrooms
- Number of occupants and whether tenant background checks were done
- A copy of the lease, the deed, and a government-issued photo ID
- A floor plan of the unit and tenant contact information (kept confidential)
5. In-Person Inspections and Penalties
If an inspection is blocked—for example, if a tenant refuses entry—landlords can be fined $250 per day until the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections gains access. Repeat violations for not registering can result in escalating fines: $500 for a first offense, $750 for a second, and $1,000 for third or more.
6. No Registration Without Taxes Paid
Rental units can’t be registered unless all municipal taxes and fees are current.
What’s Next?
The ordinance will be considered for final approval at the Township Council meeting on July 22 at 6:30 PM, held at the municipal building. Residents and landlords are encouraged to attend and provide input.
If passed, the new rules are expected to take effect immediately, with full enforcement—particularly of the higher fees—beginning in 2026.
Test
I would never invest in rental housing in Jackson Township. No wonder there’s a rental housing shortage there. Jackson Township is a terrible place to be an HSP (housing services provider). There are numerous other better places to invest in rental housing.
The law is for illegal rentals and multiple families living in homes its ridiculous 10 12 or even 15 in one house initially fair to neighbors and its causes all sorts of problems how would you like to live next to a house load of illegal immigrants who maybe criminals this has got to stop!! Jews are. Part of the problem here hiring them and taking advantage of them all to
Where? I am looking to become an HSP.