NAL, but from what I've read, NJ doesn't have any specific laws regarding rent increases, but the individual municipalities may have such ordinances.

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For example in Freehold, the increase can only be 90% (80% if tenant pays for heat) of the percentage difference in Consumer Price Index 4 months before the start of the current lease and 4 months before the implementation of the next lease. So from my understanding if it goes from 3% to 4%, then my rent can only be increased by a maximum of 0.9% if my dwellings are not exempt.

There are other things such as hardship and market price adjustments, but I don't really understand that as much. All I know is that my rent went up by 1.3%, so 17% seems like it'd be a significant amount in a rent controlled municipality.