Voucher-Friendly Housing in Jersey City

JCHA is headquartered at 400 U.S. Highway 1 (Marion Gardens, Building 7) and reaches the office at 201-706-4600. It runs public housing communities such as Marion Gardens, Booker T. Washington, Berry Gardens and Curries Woods alongside the Housing Choice Voucher program. Since January 1, 2025 JCHA has set voucher payment standards using HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, which means the maximum subsidy differs by zip code and is highest in the Downtown and waterfront zips (07302, 07310, 07311). HUD's FY2027 metro-wide Fair Market Rent for Hudson County (effective October 1, 2026) is $2,514 for a one-bedroom and $2,792 for a two-bedroom.

As of November 2026 every JCHA waiting list is closed. The Housing Choice Voucher list last opened in May 2017, the first opening since 2002, and the public housing list last opened for one week in August 2018; both were online-only lotteries with preference for people who live or work in Jersey City. JCHA has not announced a next opening. The statewide NJ DCA voucher list is also closed (last lottery January 2023). Sign up below and we will email you when any of these lists reopen.

New Jersey protects renters from source-of-income discrimination statewide. Under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq.), landlords generally may not refuse to rent to you, or advertise "no Section 8," because you would pay with a Housing Choice Voucher or other lawful rental assistance. Complaints go to the NJ Division on Civil Rights (NJCivilRights.gov, 1-833-NJDCR4U).

When a JCHA list opens, apply online through the JCHA Applicant Portal (housing-jerseycityha.securecafe.com); openings are short and run as lotteries, so have household names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and income ready. In the meantime, apply directly to project-based Section 8 and tax-credit buildings listed on this page, check the NJ Housing Resource Center (nj.gov/njhrc), and watch for the NJ DCA statewide list. Applications are always free.