JACKSON – The new Bureau of Rental Housing and Inspection is now staffed and violations have already been issued – some of which have revealed criminal activities – according to township officials.
Over the past six weeks, bureau employees have worked on registration details and setting up this new agency from scratch.
Last week officials announced that the new township department had completed hiring employees would start conducting rental inspections which started on March 16.
The bureau was established for the purpose of ensuring that all rental properties within the municipality comply with local ordinances and safety standards, while also ensuring that rented properties are properly registered.
Rental inspections are intended to confirm that homes being rented meet required health, safety, and property maintenance standards and that landlords are operating within municipal regulations.
Mayor Jennifer Kuhn noted that the initiative is about restoring accountability and protecting residents.
According to township officials, this new office will work with property owners to ensure compliance while maintaining consistent and fair enforcement of the municipality’s rental regulations. The addition of this new bureau means adding an annual inspection to each rental home in Jackson and this new bureau will work with the township’s Code Enforcement department to confirm municipal ordinances are followed.
The Bureau’s responsibilities include:
• Inspecting rental properties for safety and code compliance
• Ensuring rental properties are properly registered with the Township
• Protecting the quality of life in residential neighborhoods
• Promoting safe housing conditions for tenants
The first day of in-person inspections resulted in the issuance of multiple rental violations, along with the discovery and disruption criminal activity according to township officials.
Mayor Kuhn blamed prior enforcement issues on former Mayor Michael Reina stating, “for too long the previous mayor turned a blind eye to illegal rentals and the many problems that go along with them.”
“When I took office five months ago, I made a commitment to crack down on all those landlords and tenants operating illegally. That is why we created the township’s first Rental Safety Bureau and have required new annual inspections for all rented properties,” the mayor added.
“We have seen significant results,” Kuhn continued. She noted that half of all the inspections conducted on March 16 “led to the discovery of rental violations. This marks the most aggressive crackdown on illegal renting operations in Jackson Township history.”
The mayor said, “rental violations were not the only thing uncovered by our inspectors. In the course of one inspection, it was determined that criminal activity was present and operating within the property. This discovery was immediately reported to local law enforcement, who is actively investigating. This incident underscores the critical importance of our efforts and the extent to which they will continue to keep Jackson safe.”
She thanked the staff of the new bureau and the township police department for their work which she said “delivered our clear message to illegal renters: stop now or we will stop you.”
Jackson Township officials are urging landlords and property owners to make sure their rental properties are properly registered and prepared for inspection. They also noted that the implementation of the new agency represents an improvement in oversight of rental housing while ensuring fair and consistent enforcement moving forward.
For additional information or questions about rental registration and inspections, property owners can email Chief Inspector Jose Rivera at jrivera@jacksontwpnj.net or Inspector Hope Drew at hdrew@jacksontwpnj.net.
