JACKSON, NJ — A website created to advertise basement rentals in Lakewood has expanded into Jackson Township — where stricter housing laws require all landlords to register and undergo annual safety inspections.
Residents discovered this week that LakewoodBasements.com, which routinely lists basement apartments in Lakewood, is now featuring several Jackson properties, including at least one marketed as immediately available. The discovery comes as Jackson’s new Bureau of Rental Housing struggles to launch, with no certified inspectors yet on staff.
That website has a password tied to BMG, America’s largest yeshiva, but it is not known whether or not the website is connected to the school.
Town officials recently extended the landlord registration deadline to February 4, 2026, after winter weather forced municipal offices to close. However, the extension hasn’t eased growing concerns about enforcement and transparency in the township’s rental oversight program.
When this outlet called a number listed for one of the Jackson rentals, the man who answered refused to provide his name or the address of the property. He described the listing as a “communal rental” and hinted that it was “for Yeshiva-aged boys only,” but declined to elaborate further.
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Under township code, all rental properties must be registered and inspected annually to verify compliance with fire and safety standards. Yet, township officials have acknowledged that Jackson currently employs only one staff member in its rental bureau — who is not certified to conduct inspections.
The presence of Jackson listings on LakewoodBasements.com — a platform known for brokering basement apartments in high-demand Orthodox neighborhoods — raises new questions about whether unregistered or illegal units are being marketed beyond the township’s oversight.
Town officials have not responded to requests for comment regarding whether the listings violate Jackson’s rental housing laws or if enforcement actions are planned.
For now, landlords are still being charged $100 annual inspection fees, even as the township remains unable to perform those inspections — and as unverified rentals continue to appear online.
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