Jackson Rent Cap Lawsuit Alleges Board Members Benefited From 2.5% Limit

Jackson Township, NJ — A group of manufactured home park owners filed a sweeping lawsuit on April 22 challenging a new rent control ordinance that caps annual increases at 2.5%, arguing it will cut revenue, depress property values, and unfairly single out one type of housing. The complaint, filed in Ocean County Superior Court, seeks to block Jackson Township’s Ordinance 2026-06 before it fully takes effect, claiming the measure conflicts with a newer state law that allows up to 3.5% annual increases for manufactured home communities. The plaintiffs include multiple operators of mobile home parks across Jackson, representing all eight such communities in the township. Clash over rent caps and control At the center of the dispute is a gap between local and state policy. New Jersey enacted a 2025 law capping rent increases for manufactured home parks at 3.5% statewide. Jackson’s ordinance goes further, setting a stricter 2.5% limit—while keeping higher caps for other housing types. Property owners argue that difference is both unlawful and financially unsustainable. They claim the township provided no economic analysis to justify the lower cap, citing responses to public records requests indicating no supporting documents existed. Landlords claim financial harm The lawsuit argues the