New Jersey Rent Assistance Programs

Programs are available to help residents of New Jersey afford their rent.home sweet home image by David Dorner from Fotolia.com

Many people find it difficult to pay their rent for a variety of reasons, including divorce, job loss, returning to school and extra expenses such as having a new baby. Regardless of your reason for struggling to pay your rent, if you live in New Jersey, there are programs available to assist you.

Housing Choice Voucher Program

The Housing Choice Voucher Program, known as the Section Eight Voucher, provides people with a voucher that can be used to pay for all or part of their rent. The value of the vouchers is based upon the income and family size of the applicants. Once these vouchers have been awarded, they are turned in to the applicants' landlord in lieu of cash. Applicants can apply to the Housing Choice Voucher program at their local welfare offices. Applicants should bring proof of income, a copy of all bills for the last two months, a valid photo ID for all parties of the household who are 18 or older and every household member's social security card with them when they apply for the program. There is almost always a wait list of several months to qualify for this program.

New Jersey offers qualified residents subsidized private housing, which allows residents to live in a privately owned home or apartment for a discounted rate. The owners of the homes and apartments that are part of the program have agreed upon an arrangement with the state of New Jersey to offer housing to qualifying individuals at a reduced price. People wishing to apply for this program should bring proof of income, copies of their bills for the last two months, a photo ID and a social security card to their local welfare offices. These programs typically have a very short wait list or no wait list at all for qualified applicants.

Subsidized public housing is offered by the state of New Jersey to qualified low-income residents that need housing assistance. Homes and apartments owned by the state are available for rent for a cost that is significantly under current market value. Bring a copy of your bills for the last two months, a photo ID, social security card and proof of income to your nearest welfare office to apply for this program. Qualified applicants are usually able to benefit from this program right away, as wait lists are quite rare.