Complete Guide to Section 8 & Public Housing in New Jersey
New Jersey has 99 housing authorities managing a combined 542 waiting lists across Section 8 (HCV), Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher programs. Currently, 172 of those lists are accepting applications — an open rate of approximately 32%. This data was last verified on Oct 15, 2026.
Those agencies administer roughly 119,184 assisted housing units statewide — 28,961 public housing units and 90,223 Housing Choice Vouchers, across 21 counties. Income limits are set by HUD per county or metro area, so eligibility thresholds differ between agencies within New Jersey.
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The affordable housing programs tracked in New Jersey include Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) (7 open), Public Housing (31 open), Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) (12 open), RAD (6 open), Mainstream, VASH (1 open). Each program has its own eligibility criteria, application process, and wait times. In most cases, applicants can apply to multiple program types at the same housing authority, and there is no limit to the number of housing authorities you can apply to statewide.
The cities with the most open waitlists in New Jersey right now are Deptford (26), Hackensack (19), Edgewater (15), Middletown (8), and Glassboro (7) . Applicants who are flexible about location will generally receive assistance sooner than those who apply to a single waitlist in a high-demand area.
Latest opening: Madison Housing Authority — Borough Affordable Housing
Eligibility Requirements for New Jersey
To qualify for assistance in New Jersey, applicants must meet specific income and household criteria set by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA).
- Income: Below HUD local limits
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen or eligible legal status
- Background: Criminal background check required
- Residency: Preferences often given to locals
Real-Time Data Verification
Section 8 Waitlist aggregates data from official New Jersey legal notices, government press releases, and PHA portal updates. Every listing is cross-referenced with New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) to ensure that families receive accurate information for low-income programs.