Elizabeth NJ Section 8 Waitlist: Is It Open? How to Apply in 2026
HACE's Section 8 and public housing lists, the Union County voucher program, 2026 income limits, payment standards and HUD-assisted buildings
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How to apply for Section 8 in Elizabeth, NJ: HACE waitlist status, the June 2026 Union County voucher opening, 2026 income limits, FMRs and HUD-assisted buildings.
Elizabeth renters have two voucher agencies to watch: the Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth (HACE), which runs Section 8 and public housing inside the city, and the Union County Housing Choice Voucher program, which serves the county and opened in June 2026. HACE's Section 8 list is closed. HACE's public housing list and Union County's voucher list both opened briefly in summer 2026 and are now closed, which makes Elizabeth one of the more active markets in New Jersey. This guide covers each one, plus the private HUD-assisted buildings you can apply to right now.
Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth at a glance
- Office: 688 Maple Avenue, Elizabeth, NJ 07202
- Phone: 908-965-2400 · info@hacenj.com (same contacts for the Section 8 department)
- Applicant portal: pha-web.com/portals/applicant/2093 (family and landlord portals are linked from hacenj.com)
- Programs: Housing Choice Vouchers, family and senior public housing, mixed-finance redevelopment sites
- Executive Director: William Jones
Is the Elizabeth Section 8 waiting list open?
No. HACE's Section 8 page says it "will NOT be accepting applications until further notice." HACE selects Section 8 applicants by the date and time their application was received, not by lottery, so when the list does open, applying in the first minutes matters.
Public housing opened this summer. HACE took online pre-applications for its Multifamily Sites (1- and 2-bedroom) and Senior Sites (1-bedroom) from June 30, 2026 at 9:00 AM to July 2, 2026 at 4:30 PM through the Applicant Portal. Those lists are now closed. HACE's portfolio includes family complexes, senior complexes and the mixed-income sites built after its HOPE VI redevelopment.
Union County's voucher program
Union County runs a separate Housing Choice Voucher program, administered for the county by Development Directions LLC.
- Apply: online only at unioncountysection8.org (no paper applications)
- Contact: 908-527-4000 · info@ucnj.org
- Preferences: Union County residents, seniors, people with disabilities, domestic-violence survivors, veterans, and working applicants
- Last opening: June 1, 2026 at 9:00 AM. The list hit its 500-application cap by about 9:08 AM and closed. The county warns that the wait after selection can be "several months or several years."
The county's page does not list which towns it covers, and HACE has its own jurisdiction inside Elizabeth, so call 908-527-4000 to confirm your address is eligible before the next opening.
2026 income limits (Union County / Newark metro)
| Household size | 30% AMI (extremely low) | 50% AMI (very low) | 80% AMI (low) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $29,050 | $48,450 | $74,800 |
| 2 | $33,200 | $55,400 | $85,450 |
| 3 | $37,350 | $62,300 | $96,150 |
| 4 | $41,500 | $69,200 | $106,800 |
| 5 | $44,850 | $74,750 | $115,350 |
Initial eligibility is normally the 50% line; most new vouchers go to households under the 30% line.
How much rent an Elizabeth voucher covers
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Newark metro area, which includes Union County, took effect October 1, 2026: studio $1,637 · 1BR $1,850 · 2BR $2,233 · 3BR $2,785 · 4BR $3,188. HACE voucher holders pay at least 30% of adjusted monthly income and, when first leasing a unit above the payment standard, no more than 40%. Ask HACE for its current payment standard for your bedroom size.
Other ways to get subsidized housing in Elizabeth
HUD-assisted private buildings. Elizabeth has project-based Section 8 and other HUD-assisted buildings, many of them senior buildings, that take applications directly from the management office. See the list with contacts on our Elizabeth city page.
NJ DCA statewide voucher list. Open to Union County residents whenever it reopens; closed since its January–February 2023 opening. Details in our New Jersey Section 8 guide.
Nearby authorities. Newark is a short train ride away and has the state's largest stock of HUD-assisted buildings; see our Newark guide. Most voucher holders can move their voucher to Elizabeth, but some must first rent for a year in the area of the authority that issued it; ask about "portability."
Emergency help. Call or text 211 for Union County rental assistance and shelter referrals.
Your rights as a voucher holder in Elizabeth
New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination (N.J.S.A. 10:5-12(g)) makes it illegal for most landlords to refuse you, or advertise "no Section 8," because you pay with a voucher; a few small owner-occupied rentals are exempt. The state Supreme Court held in Franklin Tower One v. N.M. (1999) that a landlord cannot refuse Section 8 payments from a tenant who already lives there. Complaints go to the NJ Division on Civil Rights (NJCivilRights.gov, 1-833-NJDCR4U) within 180 days. Only a judge can order you to leave, and in most buildings the Anti-Eviction Act requires good cause.
Get an email when HACE or Union County reopens
Sign up below. We check HACE's Section 8 page, Union County's voucher page and the DCA statewide page every week and email you when one changes. We are an independent informational service, not a government agency, housing authority or landlord.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Elizabeth Section 8 waiting list open?
- No. HACE says it is not accepting Section 8 applications until further notice as of November 2026. Union County's separate voucher list opened June 1, 2026 and filled its 500-application cap in about eight minutes.
- Did HACE open any list in 2026?
- Yes. HACE took online pre-applications for its multifamily (1- and 2-bedroom) and senior (1-bedroom) public housing lists from June 30 to July 2, 2026. Those lists are now closed.
- What are the 2026 income limits for Section 8 in Elizabeth?
- HUD's FY2026 very-low-income (50%) limits for Union County are $48,450 for one person, $55,400 for two, $62,300 for three and $69,200 for four. Extremely-low (30%) limits are $29,050, $33,200, $37,350 and $41,500.
- How much rent does an Elizabeth voucher cover?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Newark metro area are $1,637 for a studio, $1,850 for a one-bedroom, $2,233 for a two-bedroom and $2,785 for a three-bedroom. HACE voucher holders pay at least 30% of adjusted income.
- Does the Union County voucher program cover Elizabeth addresses?
- The county's page does not list the towns it serves, and HACE has its own jurisdiction in the city, so call 908-527-4000 to confirm before the next opening.
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