Jersey City Rent Control Experience

[Kevin K.]

I'm wondering if anyone has any first hand experience raising BASE rents (not surcharges) by making capital improvements and applying for base rent increases according to the Jersey City rent control laws.  I would like to hear how the experience was dealing with the city, the application process, etc.  The ordinance explains the process and looks like a pain.  If anyone has any experience, please share.  Thanks.

[Kevin K.]

I haven't gone through the process of trying to raise base rent through improvements.  From speaking to various people, I get the feeling that the rent control office can't keep up with managing so much housing and enforcing the rules.  I suspect that some landlords probably charge more than the base rent and probably get away with it because the tenants have nothing to complain about (i.e. they're happy paying the rent, the landlord takes decent care of the building, etc.).  I've also come across buildings that should be rent controlled but aren't registered with the rent control office.

I've read through many of the rent control ordinances, and find that the rules are sometimes too onerous to really follow and too far reaching in what they ask for. I doubt a single landlord really follows ALL the rules because there are too many of them, and many of which are too obscure.  Most rent control offices probably couldn't even keep up with all the paperwork if landlords really followed all the rules in the ordinances.

One other thing to be careful of is getting caught with an ordinance change. Union City repealed its improvement allowance last year probably so the mayor could buy votes with the bulk of the residents being renters.  It's a shame because UC has so much under maintained housing that needs investment. Great way to kill the incentive to improve.