New Jersey Rental Assistance Programs. Everyone wants safe and affordable housing. However, many low-income families in New Jersey struggle to pay their rent and, as a result, suffer from homelessness. The good news is, many governmental, charities, and community organizations provide rental assistance and create housing solutions.
In light of the corona pandemic, many families are unable to pay rent. Moreover, it may be challenging to find the help you need. This article features a glimpse of some such organizations.
New Jersey Programs that Provide Rental Assistance
Homefront Inc.
In the battle against the high rent, this organization has provided affordable housing as a solution. This agency has apartments to be used by families in transition. The monthly rent of each family is equal to 30% of their gross income. This amount is saved until they leave. Then, the entire sum is used to provide a security deposit for a better, permanent residence.
Its FreshStart program’s goal is to provide all families a permanent home. Through this program, the organization gives much-needed support to lower-income groups and the unemployed. By participating in the Rapid Re-Housing program, the organization allows families to rent payments on a sliding scale.
Website
Phone number: (609) 989-9417
Department of Community Affairs, New Jersey
The government’s Homeless Prevention Program provides short-term assistance to families evicted for a temporary loss of income. It provides a back rent for a maximum period of 3 months. This also includes legal fees, court fees, and other rental fees. Relocation is provided to homeless applicants with a security deposit covering rent up to 11/2 months, including 1 month’s rent in advance.
Under the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program, this governmental branch offers temporary financial help to families for making payments related to housing, case management, and other services for maintaining housing.
The assistance is mainly aimed at helping households that suffer from the immediate risk of being homeless. Further, the program also considers the families or individuals who live in emergency housings or on the streets. Help is provided in terms of security deposits, utility deposits, rental assistance, and moving cost assistance.
Website
Phone Number: ( 609) 292-6420
Department of Community Development, Paterson, New Jersey
This institution aims at improving the quality of life of residents by providing affordable housing policies and programs. It enhances the quality of the housing offered to low and middle-income groups. Its Emergency Shelter Grant provides help to homeless families and individuals needing immediate shelter. It distributes funds to the emergency housings that give shelter and the necessary services.
Website
Phone Number: (973) 321-1212
Coalition on Aids in Passaic County Inc
It is a non-profit, community-based organization offering medical and non-medical case management to HIV/AIDS and other forms of sexually transmitted diseases. The institution provides temporary rental assistance through its Housing Opportunities for Persons With Aids (HOPWA) program.
Under the same program, the HUD gives grants to non-profit organizations, States, and local communities, offering benefits to low-income individuals who survive with HIV/AIDS. It also gives security deposits or permanent housing and an emergency shelter or emergency housing.
Besides this, housing assistance is provided in terms of utility assistance concerning heat, water, and electricity. Transportation assistance is also provided, be it taxi vouchers or bus tickets for social service and medical appointments. Nutritional assistance is also given as food vouchers through the local supermarkets.
Website:
Phone Number: (973) 742-6742
Greater Bergen Community Action – Bergen New Jersey
The organization’s goal is to reduce poverty by finding out and eliminating the causes that lie at the root of economic insecurity. The institution provides several housing programs. The Homelessness Prevention Program provides resources to help individuals and families before being evicted. Financial assistance is given in terms of partial or full rental payment. Advance rent deposits and security payments are also given to create opportunities for new housing.
Under the Program for Homeless Adolescents Seeking and Environment of Stability (PHASES) program, the institution supports youths within the age range of 16 to 21. It develops individual care plans for all the youth residents concentrating on their family relationships, nutrition, health, education, employment, and financial literacy. The goal is to bring back the youths into society’s mainstream by making them capable, productive, and efficient members.
Website:
Phone Number: 201-968-0200
Burlington Community Action Partnership – Burlington, New Jersey
The organization wishes to reduce poverty by removing the causes of the same. Under the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program, this institution gives stabilization services and financial assistance to homeless individuals and families. The qualified applicants receive rental assistance, case management, assistance regarding finding affordable housing, credit repair counseling, and money management.
The organization also offers monetary help to residents who struggle to pay their rents, are homeless, face eviction regularly, and need rental assistance for a permanent housing solution. Under the Permanent Rental Housing Program, the organization gives five housing units as a part of the Temporary Assistance program to Needy Families (TANF). The housing program also includes a couple of single-family homes, especially for homeless veteran families and poor working families with children.
Website:
Phone Number: (609) – 386 – 5800
Camden County Board of Social Services
The agency is committed to providing efficient, timely, and cost-effective services to Camden County residents. Under the Work First New Jersey program. Not to mention, the agency offers short-term financial assistance through two sub-programs. One of them is the General Assistance (GA) program. The other is the Temporary Assistance for the Needy Families (TANF) program.
As a part of the TANF program, the organization offers financial help to all eligible candidates. However, the financial assistance is limited to 5 years. The program even offers support services before and after being employed. Non-parents with eligible children in their custody also receive support under this program.
The General Assistance program aims to help adults of 18 or more and without any dependent children in their custody.
Website
Phone Number: (856) -225 – 8800
Catholic Charities Diocese of Camden
It is a faith-based organization that offers services to the oppressed, poor, and vulnerable. Presently, the organization is operating in six counties of New Jersey. More importantly, the agency calls all Southern New Jersey residents who find it difficult to pay their rent and other bills. The organization is also providing additional assistance for individuals and families who have been affected by the worldwide pandemic.
The organization also offers utility assistance to prevent homelessness and to save people from a temporary monetary crisis. The utility assistance is determined based on availability and requirement of funding. The assistance is offered through localized centers for family and community services.
Website
Phone Number (856) – 342 – 4100
Housing Initiatives of Princeton
It is a non-profit organization that has been assisting families since 2004. The agency supports lower-income groups and working families to survive and thrive. Under the General Rental Assistance Program, the agency recognizes the low and moderate-income groups who struggle to gather the required funds to pay their rents or maintain permanent housings. In this context, the organization offers two forms of assistance.
Under the Security Deposit Assistance, the institution pays the security deposits for some individuals and families residing in the Princeton area, subject to certain eligibility fulfillments. Under the Eviction Prevention, also known as the Emergency Rental Payment assistance, the organization lends one-time assistance to deficient and low-income groups facing a monetary crisis or are experiencing homelessness. In this case, also, the applicants need to qualify certain eligibility criteria.
Website
Phone Number (609) – 921 – 2328
Middlesex Housing and Community
The Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, over 25 years, has funded different social service agencies of the county to serve the homeless, poor, disabled, and other special residents. The Middlesex County Housing Continuum of Care Committee is the principal vehicle that plans and coordinates the timely delivery of the required services to low-income individuals, families, and the homeless.
Likewise, the division supervises three different housing programs sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development of USA. The three programs are Home Investment Partnerships, Community Development Block Grant, and Rental Assistance (Section 8). All three programs attempt to provide benefits to lower-income individuals and households. The programs are designed to help families with rental assistance. The agency also provides affordable housing solutions as well as other necessary services.
Website:
Phone Number (732) – 745 – 3025
Bayonne Economic Opportunity Foundation
The organization offers housing counseling and rental assistance through HPP and HPRP grants. The housing assistance can be claimed by all individuals and families in Bayonne County who are facing or might face homelessness. Under the Rapid Re-Housing and The Homelessness Prevention program, the institution offers short-term assistance to homeless people or survives in emergency shelters. In addition, the organization also ensures that no one experiences discrimination on drug dependency, mental illness, or physical disability.
Website
Phone Number (201) 437-7222
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