How to Use the Guide

This is a directory of Affordable housing developments in New Jersey. It does not include all affordable units, only those built under certain federal or State initiatives.The apartments and houses in this Guide are listed in alphabetical order by county.  Each county section lists the official name of the municipality where the developments are located.  The name in the Guide is the formal name of the political jurisdiction.  ( For example, Kendall Park and Toms River are place names for areas in two municipalities known by the formal names of South Brunswick Township, Middlesex County and Dover Township, Ocean County.)  The proper municipal names appear in this Guide in alphabetical order. 

Under the column heading “development / aka” is the name of the development.  The “aka” refers to “also known as” and shows other names the developments may go by or once had.  The next three columns are street address, municipality, and zip code.

For some developments with many street addresses, the phrase “scattered sites” appears.  Other types of housing serve people with special needs,  physical or mental disabilities.  These include shelters, transitional housing, group homes, supervised apartments, nursing homes, and assisted-living complexes.  The people who live there have medical or other special needs.  Due to the sensitive nature of this type of housing, the phrase “intentional blank” may appear as the street address.

Again, "municipality" refers to the formal name of the political jurisdiction where the housing is located.  These are site addresses, not mailing addresses.  Sometimes they are one and the same, but not always.  A mailing address can be a local place name or a postal address, but the Guide shows only the official name of the local political jurisdiction that is the site of the development.

Whether or not the development serves a specific group of people is indicated under the column heading “type.”  There are several housing types.  “Family” units are unrestricted and open to any household that meets the income limits.  “Senior” describes age-restricted dwellings.  Generally, you must be 62 years or older to live in these facilities.  “Sr/disabled” units are for the aged or infirm.  “Disabled” refers to units for people with medical or physical impairments. These include group homes for the developmentally disabled administered by the county Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC).  “Both” indicates the developments have a mix of housing for families, as well as seniors or people with disabilities.  “Special hsg” refers to shelters, transitional housing, nursing homes, or other housing for people with special needs.  Under “tenure,” you will find if the units are for rent or for sale.

The next column, “agent,” has a contact for the development.  Sometimes this is an owner or developer.  Other times it is a property manager, government agency, or a representative from a church or nonprofit organization.  Agents have more specific information on the availability of housing and the process you must go through to rent or buy.  Their telephone numbers follow.  Many developments have the Housing Affordability Service (HAS) in the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs as a rental or sale agent.  You may want to begin your search with the HAS because it represents so many developments in the State.  The telephone number is (609) 292-9795.  This agency will send you an application form, or you can download one from the their Web Site. 

The last column in the directory is very important.  It shows an abbreviated name of the program or programs that fund the developments.  You need to know a little about them because they set the rules that determine whether you qualify to live in the development.

Blanks in the directory indicate information was not available at the time of publication.  Sometimes the information changes or is incorrect.   If you come across mistakes or find information that is missing, please contact John Lago at the Department of Community Affairs at (609) 292-7898.

Public housing:
The largest group of affordable units in this Guide is public housing.  Housing authorities administer this federal program.  New Jersey has about 100 housing authorities.  A list appears in Appendix A. 

Housing authorities get federal funds to build and run public housing developments.  Most have rental units, but some have houses for sale.  Rents and sale prices depend on household income and can be no more than 30 percent of adjusted earnings.  People who live in public housing earn less than 80 percent of median family income.  Federal rules require housing authorities to keep a certain percentage of these units for very low-income households, earning 50 percent or less than median family income.  Some housing authorities must reserve units for extremely low-income households with earnings at or below 30 percent of median.  Use federal income standards to determine eligibility.

Housing authorities may have waiting lists.  This depends on local conditions.  Public housing authorities may give priority to people who live or work in the communities they serve.  The people who operate these authorities are an excellent resource.  They know the local housing market and are aware of other programs and opportunities that might be available.  This is why a good place to start your search is with your local housing authority. 

Section 8:
Section 8 rental assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) comes in two varieties: tenant-based and project-based assistance.  Both help low- and moderate-income households pay affordable rents, which is defined as no more than 30 percent of adjusted income on shelter and utility costs.  The amount of subsidy covers any excess costs. Use federal income standards to determine eligibility.

Section 8 tenant-based assistance, known as a housing choice, voucher, or certificate program, is extremely important.  Nationally and in New Jersey, it is one of the largest sources of housing assistance, helping the greatest number of households.  But because vouchers are tied to people, not buildings, they cannot be listed in a directory, such as this Guide.  Still, this is a vital source of assistance. In New Jersey, many public housing authorities have housing voucher programs.  A list appears in Appendix A.  The authorities shown with an asterisk have voucher programs.  The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs also has Section 8 vouchers.  For more information, contact the field offices shown in Appendix B.

HMFA:
The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) has many housing programs funded from the sale of bonds.  Some provide mortgage assistance and closing costs to homebuyers.  Others help homeowners repair the houses they have.  While these are important initiatives, this type of assistance is not in the Guide.  All HMFA developments shown in the Guide are multifamily apartments built with State assistance.  Many also got Section 221 or Section 236 mortgage assistance from HUD.  If a development received both HMFA and federal funds, use federal income standards.  Otherwise, use State income standards.  Low- and moderate-income households qualify for HMFA-funded developments.

For more information on HMFA’s homebuyer or rehabilitation programs call (609) 278-7400.  Those looking to buy a house or condominium should consider calling HMFA to see about the availability of homebuyer assistance programs. The agency has a mortgage hotline: 1-800-NJ-HOUSE, or 1-800-654-6873. 

Tax Credits:
Enacted in 1986, this federal program provides tax benefits to private and nonprofit developers of affordable apartments.  At least 20 percent of the units must be affordable to people with earnings at or below 50 percent of median county income; 40 percent must be affordable to those with income at or below 60 percent of the county median, as defined by the federal guidelines.

Urban Home Ownership Recovery Program (UHORP): 
The Urban Home Ownership Recovery program is a State initiative administered by HMFA.  It provides assistance to developers to help build for-sale housing for low- and moderate-income households, as defined by the State income standards.

Section 221 and Section 236:
These two federal programs provided below-market-rate mortgages to private and nonprofit developers of rental housing for low- and moderate-income families, as defined by the federal income standards.

Section 202 and Section 811:
Both of these federal programs fund special-need housing.  The 202 program is for elderly residents 62 years of age or older, while the 811 program serves residents 18 years of age or over with a physical or developmental disability or a chronic mental illness.  Most of these developments are for low-income households, though a smaller number are reserved for moderate-income families, as defined by the federal standards.

Section 207, 213, 223, and 231:
Some of the developments in the Guide were built under these sections of national housing legislation.  These programs may have units available to low- and moderate-income families.  Use the federal standard to determine eligibility.

HOME:
The HOME Improvement Partnership program (HOME) is a federal program that supports housing rehabilitation and production.  HOME funds go to states and local governments and can be used for a variety of purposes, including rental assistance, housing production and rehabilitation, and first-time homebuyer programs.  Eligibility may be extended to households with incomes at or below 60 percent of median county income.

Farm Home:
Sometimes referred to as the 515 multi-family rental program, “Farm Home” is a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers Home Administration.  The multifamily housing program provides assistance to for-profit and nonprofit developers of rental units in small towns and rural areas.  These developments are affordable to family and senior households with low or moderate incomes.  Federal income standards apply.

Bal Hsg: 
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs administers the Balanced Housing program, which supports both housing rehabilitation and production.  Only those newly built or substantially rehabilitated units funded under this State program appear in the Guide.  If a Balanced Housing development also received federal aid, use federal income standards to determine eligibility.  Otherwise, use the State income standards.

MtL:
This abbreviation stands for “Mount Laurel” development.  MtL housing can exist anywhere in New Jersey.  It gets its name from the South Jersey municipality sued for having zoning laws that limited the supply of affordable housing.  The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled all municipalities have a constitutional obligation to have zoning laws that meet their fair share of regional affordable housing needs.  MtL housing is so designated by localities themselves or by the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH), a State agency created to help towns adopt housing plans that meet present and future housing needs. 

Mount Laurel housing covers a wide range of housing.  The units may be for sale or rent.  They can be for the elderly, disabled, or families and may be funded by any one of the federal or Sate programs described above.  Some Mount Laurel developments, however, get no public subsidy.  Developers build them as part of market-rate developments.  Some MtL units are funded by regional contribution agreements (RCAs) whereby a community agrees to provide assistance to another to meet regional housing need.  All Mount Laurel units have income restrictions and must be affordable to low- and moderate-income households.  If federal funds were used to finance these developments, use federal guidelines to determine eligibility. If State programs financed these developments or if they are part of a market-rate development with no federal subsidy at all, use State income standards.