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The New Jersey Section 8 housing program is governed in part by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), along with local housing authorities. All 21 counties in New Jersey offer some form of Section 8 housing for those who qualify. Approximately 35,409 low income housing units are maintained by the 80 various housing authorities throughout New Jersey. The NJ Section 8 housing program is offered through two different programs: tenant based and project based. The Section 8 housing choice vouchers are tied to the individual in a tenant based housing program, whereas the vouchers are tied to a property with the project based programs.

New Section 8 applicants in NJ wonder if they will be allowed to stay in their current residence. In order to have a residence included for subsidization, a HUD representative must first inspect the property. If after inspection it has met certain criteria, the home can be included. Low income house rentals in NJ are made available, in addition to apartments, for those receiving government housing subsidies. Aside from a house qualifying for Section 8, the family must also qualify.

NJ Section 8 housing applicants must apply for the Section 8 program by filling out and submitting the HUD Section 8 application. One of the key criteria required of those qualified for Section 8 in NJ is that the applicant, as well as the applicant’s household, make less than the average of those around them. Section 8 in New Jersey has guidelines that stipulate that the qualified applicant will make no more than 80 percent of what others around them are making, on average. Those who are 30-50 percent lower are considered very low income in the state of New Jersey.

Once qualified to receive Section 8 in NJ, applicants will not receive the Section 8 vouchers directly. The vouchers are paid directly to the landlord on the Section 8 applicant’s behalf. The Section 8 vouchers will cover up to 70 percent of the rental fee, with the difference being passed along to the renter to pay. Along with income guidelines, there are Section 8 factors that are also considered when qualifying someone in NJ for Section 8 assistance.

Learn About Requirements for Section 8 in New Jersey

Section 8 eligibility is set by the two groups responsible for managing the program. Section 8 housing is a federal program that is run by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD sets the base Section 8 eligibility guidelines, but they also work alongside the local housing authority in each state to make small tweaks so the program is appropriate for each individual state. Both groups also work to answer common questions about Section 8 eligibility, such as, “What are the qualifications for low income housing in New Jersey?”

Learn How to Apply for Section 8 in New Jersey

New Jersey HUD Section 8 applications can be obtained from any local housing authority or by going online and printing out the forms to fill out by hand. Those who live in NJ and wish to receive Section 8 benefits will need to learn how to sign up for Section 8 which includes providing the requested documentation. While the actual HUD Section 8 application in NJ is not a lengthy application, failure to fill it out correctly, or completely, can result in a Section 8 denial of benefits, or a delay in its processing.

In order to successfully complete a HUD Section 8 application in NJ, applicants should take the time to learn how to apply for Section 8, carefully. Printed materials are offered at most of the housing authorities and the online application for low income housing, which is accessible by computer, will also have many resources that can be accessed. Lastly, those who are unsure of how to register for Section 8 housing programs can request that a housing authority agent fill out the application on their behalf.

Learn About Section 8 Waiting Lists in New Jersey

The New Jersey Section 8 housing waiting list 2017 has openings in 39 counties throughout NJ. Many of the 80 housing authorities offer priority status to certain communities, such as the disabled, the elderly and families who have small children. Applicants who do not fall into these priority groups may have a longer than usual wait for affordable housing in their area. “When will the Section 8 waiting lists open, again?” many who are on the low income housing waiting lists often ask. The answer depends on the county in which one applied and the particular low income housing waiting lists that a person is currently on. In some counties, such as Newark, the low income housing waiting lists is still open for senior housing but North Bergen is open for all types of housing.

Those who are on the low income housing waiting lists in NJ are placed there after going through a stringent vetting process to determine actual need. Those who are on the Section 8 waiting lists in New Jersey, regardless of region, have been determined to meet not only the income thresholds, but also have met criteria pertaining to citizenship, background checks and household composition. No one may be placed on the Section 8 waiting list without first going through the application process. When an applicant’s name rises to the top of the Section 8 waiting list 2017, they will be contacted as soon as there is a vacancy.

Learn About Section 8 Denial in New Jersey

New Jersey Section 8 denial letters are used to notify applicants when they have been determined ineligible for benefits. The applicant can find out what to do if Section 8 application was denied by reading the letter in its entirety and following the instructions on it about the appeal process. The letter also lists the Section 8 housing disqualifications so the applicant will know exactly why they were denied. They can then choose to file a Section 8 denial appeal to request an informal hearing to try to overturn the decision.