DCA Receives $1.19 Million in Additional Federal Funding for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers

• Posted on: 09/18/2023

Latest Funds Are in Addition to the Record Amount of Section 8 Funding Received Earlier in 2023

TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) today announced the award of $1.19 million in Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help more families rent a quality, stable home at an affordable cost. These latest funds are in addition to the record breaking $291.6 million in annual HCV funding that DCA received earlier this year.

The Section 8 HCV program helps low-income households pay their rent by providing direct rent subsidy payments to landlords. HUD awarded the additional funding to high-performing housing agencies in the nation. DCA has received the Section 8 High Performer designation from HUD for five years in a row.

Currently, DCA provides Section 8 housing vouchers to approximately 24,260 households across the state. The $1.19 million in added funds will allow DCA to serve approximately 92 more households. The households will come from DCA’s Section 8 waiting list.

“We thank HUD for the additional Housing Choice Voucher funding and for its confidence in DCA’s ability to effectively help people who need assistance paying their rent,” said DCA Acting Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. “More funding means DCA will be able to serve people on the Section 8 waiting list much more quickly. This can be life-changing for families who haven’t had the benefit of a stable, safe, and sanitary home because they can’t afford rent.”

The Section 8 HCV program enables families to afford rental units in the private market. A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by DCA on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program. Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety before people in the HCV program can move in.

More information about the Section 8 HCV program can be found at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dhcr/offices/section8hcv.shtml on the DCA website.

DCA’s Division of Housing and Community Resources administers the Section 8 HCV program. The Division is committed to strengthening neighborhoods through the delivery of affordable housing and supportive services and to providing financial and technical assistance to municipalities, community action agencies, and other nonprofit organizations for community and economic development projects that improve the quality of life for residents, especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged.

DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including local government management and finance, affordable housing production, rental assistance, fire safety, building safety, disaster recovery and mitigation, historic preservation, community planning and development, and information privacy.

For more information about DCA, visit https://nj.gov/dca/ or follow the Department on social media: