Section 8 in New Jersey: how the waitlists work and how to apply

New Jersey has no single Section 8 list. The state's Department of Community Affairs runs one statewide voucher waitlist, which last opened in January 2023, and many local housing authorities run their own lists with their own opening dates. To apply, watch each office's announcement and apply online during its window.

Who runs Section 8 in New Jersey?

Section 8 is the common name for the Housing Choice Voucher program. HUD, the federal housing department, funds it, and the voucher pays part of your rent to the landlord. In New Jersey two kinds of offices run it:

• The state. The Department of Community Affairs runs a statewide list. Its page says the program is open to residents of every county and that other offices run Section 8 in many places. It also runs the State Rental Assistance Program, a state-funded voucher list that last opened January 13 to 31, 2025 for 6,000 households.
• Local housing authorities. Cities and counties run their own lists, preferences and opening dates. HUD says you can apply to any of them and do not need to live there. Find yours in HUD's directory of housing agencies or ask the department at 609-292-4080.

Here is what each office's own page said on October 5, 2026:

How is an opening announced?

Federal rules say that when an authority opens a list, it must give public notice stating where and when to apply, in a local newspaper and by other suitable means (24 CFR 982.206, where CFR means Code of Federal Regulations). In practice you will find it on the authority's website. The state announced its 2023 opening on January 10, a week before it began. Union County posted a notice on May 18, 2026, then moved its start from May 22 to June 1.

Windows are short, and offices pick applicants in different ways.

Lottery. The statewide list took pre-applications, which are short first forms, for about two and a half weeks. The state's 2016 FAQ says that when you apply inside the window does not matter. Bergen County's window was five days.

First 500. Union County said it would accept 500 applications. Its notice now says the list has reached capacity, so speed could matter there.

Check the authority's own site. Lookalike sites copy these notices. The Federal Trade Commission says there is no fee to register for a Section 8 list.

How do you apply for Section 8 in New Jersey?

1. Find the authorities that cover where you want to live.
2. If a list is closed, ask how it will announce the next opening.
3. Gather the names, Social Security numbers, birth dates and income of everyone in your household. The state also requires an email address, which you can create during the application, and you must be 18 or an emancipated minor (under 18 but legally independent of your parents).
4. Apply online during the window. The state and Union County took online applications only, and the state accepted a paper one only as a disability accommodation.
5. Send one application per household. The state said duplicates would not be considered, and Union County said they may lead to disqualification.
6. Save your confirmation and check your status online.

Claim every preference that fits. A preference puts certain applicants ahead of others on the list. The state's included veterans and their surviving spouses (highest priority), people experiencing homelessness, people with disabilities, domestic violence survivors and local residents. Union County asks you to upload proof of a preference with the application. For the national picture, see how to find an open Section 8 waitlist.

What income limits apply?

When your name is picked, you must meet the limit for the county where you plan to live and show proof of residency. The department posts 2026 limits for its voucher program. Here are five counties:

Local authorities post their own charts, so use the one on the authority's page. Our guides on area median income and how to qualify for affordable housing explain the limits.

How long can New Jersey's lists be?

Long, and being picked is not the same as getting a voucher. In 2023, Gothamist reported that more than 141,000 people applied for the statewide list, and the department's spokeswoman said about 101,000 came in the first week. Only 20,000 were picked, roughly one in seven. The department sized the list to what it could serve over three years, given expected federal funding. Bergen County planned to pick 350 in 2025, and Union County planned to accept 500 applications in 2026.

The state's FAQ from its 2016 opening says it cannot predict how long it will take to reach a household. That depends on how often current voucher holders leave the program, and on funding. Not picked means not on the list, so apply again when it reopens.

What does the New Jersey Housing Resource Center do?

The New Jersey Housing Resource Center is a free state website for finding affordable and accessible rentals and homes for sale. The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency launched it in 2005 and still funds it. It lists units from landlords and trade groups and updates daily. Its Basic search has a box for people who have a voucher.

It is a search site, not an application. You open a listing and contact the landlord. It does not put you on a Section 8 list. For help, call 1-877-428-8844, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern.

What does New Jersey law say about landlords and vouchers?

The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination bars a landlord from refusing to rent because of your source of lawful income, which includes Section 8 vouchers and the State Rental Assistance Program. A listing cannot say "Section 8 not accepted." A law signed January 12, 2026 (P.L. 2025, c.251) spells out the definition. It also bars a minimum income test that is not based only on the part of the rent you pay. The Division on Civil Rights takes complaints about conduct within the past 180 days, at 1-833-653-2748.

What do we see in New Jersey today?

As of October 5, 2026, we list 38 open New Jersey listings in 35 towns across 14 counties: 24 waitlists, 11 lotteries and 3 first come. Twenty are rentals and 18 are homes for sale. We list no open housing-authority waitlists for New Jersey, so use the offices above. Of the 38, 17 have an online application on the official site, 3 use paper or email and 18 are homes for sale with steps only you can take.

Two lotteries have dates coming up.

Modera Fort Lee, Bergen County. 25 income-restricted apartments. A random selection covers applications received by 1:00 p.m. on October 20, 2026, with a preference for people who live or work in Bergen, Hudson, Passaic or Sussex counties.

The Reserve at Riverdale, Morris County. 12 apartments. Applications are due by 1:00 p.m. on October 23, 2026, and people already on the list keep their priority.

These are income-restricted homes, not vouchers. Browse the New Jersey page, the waitlists page or all open listings, or run the free qualify check.