BARNEGAT – For residents of Brighton at Barnegat and Pinewood Estates, the Barnegat Township Committee’s decision to extend its rent leveling ordinance through December 31, 2025, brought a sense of temporary relief – but also deep uncertainty. The two communities have over 600 residents, many of whom are seniors on fixed incomes.
“We’re basically trapped,” said one Pinewood Estates resident who asked not to be named. “We own the homes, but if rents skyrocket, our only choice is to pay or leave. And moving one of these homes? That’s not realistic.”
Other towns in Ocean County, including Jackson, Manchester, and Toms River, continue to maintain rent leveling ordinances for manufactured homes. Joe Sullivan of the Manufactured Home Owners Association of New Jersey explained the reason other renters aren’t generally afforded the same protections.
Unlike apartment tenants, residents in manufactured home parks own their homes but rent the land beneath them. That distinction leaves them especially vulnerable.
“You lease the land, and that makes you captive to the park owner,” Sullivan explained. “If that owner decides to raise rents to a very unreasonable level, your only alternative is to pick up your home and move.”
But moving a manufactured home isn’t as simple as hitching it to a truck.
“Today’s manufactured housing is more and more like a stick-and-brick house,” Sullivan said. “It’s very hard to move – and very expensive. So you’re kind of a captive tenant.”
Sullivan also warned that this vulnerability has made manufactured home parks attractive to outside investors.
“There are actually organizations online that promote investing in manufactured housing communities,” he said. “And they’re selling the idea that you can charge captive residents as much as you want, because they don’t have a choice.”
Township Attorney Christopher Dasti discussed the legal concerns. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
A Sudden Repeal – Then Pushback
Barnegat’s rent leveling ordinance dates back more than 20 years, originally created to protect manufactured homeowners who cannot easily relocate. The ordinance capped rent increases and placed limits on capital improvement surcharges landlords could pass through to tenants.
But in December 2023, the Township Committee voted to repeal the ordinance altogether. Officials said the move was meant to reduce legal exposure after a court case involving Pinewood Estates Associates LLC, which operates under the umbrella of RHP Properties – one of the country’s largest owners of manufactured home communities.
The lawsuit came after a decision by the township’s Rent Leveling Board. Township Attorney Christopher Dasti later confirmed the board’s ruling had triggered legal concerns.
The repeal blindsided many residents, who packed public meetings to voice their concerns. By March 2024, the township reversed course and reinstated the ordinance, this time with some adjustments.
A Second Lawsuit – And More Changes
The second reinstatement didn’t end the legal drama. In May, Pinewood Estates Associates LLC filed another lawsuit, arguing that the revised ordinance was unconstitutional and unworkable. The complaint cited confusing rules, including restrictions on rent increases during ownership transfers and limits on cost recovery.
Dasti again defended the ordinance but ultimately negotiated a settlement. That led to a newly revised version adopted in October 2024. It allowed landlords to raise rents each year by either 3.5 percent or the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever was less. The ordinance also clarified how and when landlords could apply for additional rent increases tied to capital improvements.
It seemed the controversy had calmed – until April 2025, when residents learned that township officials planned to sunset the rent leveling law. It remains unclear why the ordinance was put back in place as part of the settlement agreement.
Township officials have pointed to pending state legislation as a reason for allowing the ordinance to continue until the end of the year. The law would cap rent increases for manufactured homes at 3 percent statewide. It would also require landlords to apply for higher increases with the Department of Community Affairs.
“If the state passes it, it will override what we have here anyway,” said Dasti. “Until then, the local ordinance gives residents protection – just not beyond next year.”
Ron Naples, a Brighton at Barnegat resident who helped negotiate with the landlord there, urged officials not to rely solely on state action.
“We’ve been waiting 20 years for that law,” Naples said. “If it does pass, the only thing it matches is the 3 percent cap. Our ordinance goes much further – it limits capital expenditures and allows for due process. Don’t give that up while waiting for the state.”
Even if the state bill becomes law, advocates say it’s unclear whether it will cover all the protections residents have relied on.
John Murrin, former Rent Leveling Board chair, noted that Barnegat’s ordinance didn’t just cap rent – it protected residents from hidden costs passed through by landlords.
“Often, the biggest burden isn’t the rent increase itself,” Murrin said. “It’s capital improvement charges that can be spread out over decades. Our ordinance made sure landlords had to absorb the first $100,000 of those.”
The meeting room was standing room only with many residents there asking for help. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
What Comes Next
Without rent leveling protections, residents fear they’ll have to fight rent increases in court – a costly and time-consuming process.
“You’re going to have to get your own attorney to fight your landlord,” Deputy Mayor Albert Bille told residents during the May committee meeting. “The town can’t do it anymore. Like every other community, they hire their own attorney.”
Many residents, particularly in Pinewood Estates, lack formal leases or clear terms on rent adjustments. Some have lived there for decades without ever signing a contract. That makes it even harder to push back when rent notices arrive.
Frank Bellardo, president of the Pinewood Estates Homeowners Association, said he appreciated Dasti’s initial help negotiating with RHP but was disappointed when talks ended.
“This gives us some time to find our own legal representation and figure out our next steps,” Bellardo said.
In a written statement, Joel Brown, President and Chief Operating Officer of RHP Properties, said the company remains committed to its residents.
“We are mindful of the financial challenges many of our Pinewood Estates residents face,” Brown said. “We want to alleviate concerns of any dramatic changes to rent and are working on a plan to help maintain the affordable lifestyle they currently enjoy in our community.”
Still, residents remember a letter from RHP sent the first time the ordinance was lifted at the end of 2023. It announced that monthly rents would rise from $353.10 to $662.42 – with a “loyalty discount” for existing tenants who pay on time. Most would see their rents rise to $373, but the letter made clear that those who didn’t pay promptly could lose the discount.
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