Jersey City Section 8 Waitlist: Is It Open? How to Apply in 2026
JCHA's voucher and public housing lists, what the 2017 and 2018 openings looked like, 2026 income limits, zip-code payment standards and other routes
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How to apply for Section 8 in Jersey City: JCHA waitlist status (closed), past openings, 2026 income limits, Small Area FMR payment standards and HUD-assisted buildings.
Jersey City is one of the hardest places in New Jersey to get a voucher and one of the most valuable places to use one. The Jersey City Housing Authority (JCHA) has opened its Section 8 list once since 2002, and its public housing list once since then. This guide explains where things stand, what the 2017 and 2018 openings looked like so you know what to expect next time, and the other routes Jersey City renters can use now.
Jersey City Housing Authority at a glance
- Office: 400 U.S. Highway 1, Marion Gardens Building 7, Jersey City, NJ 07306
- Main phone: 201-706-4600 · contact form at jerseycityha.org/contact-us
- Portability (moving a voucher in or out): 201-706-4677 or 201-706-4678 · ports@jcha.us
- Applicant portal: linked from jerseycityha.org under Applicants
- Programs: Housing Choice Vouchers, project-based vouchers, and public housing at sites including Marion Gardens, Booker T. Washington, Berry Gardens and Curries Woods
Is the Jersey City Section 8 waiting list open?
No. JCHA's applicants page says "All waiting lists are closed," and its HCV page confirms the voucher application list is closed. No reopening has been announced. JCHA also runs separate lists for some project-based voucher buildings, such as Pennrose (last open January 2025) and the Catherine Todd senior building, which have opened on their own schedule; check jerseycityha.org for their status.
What the last opening looked like. JCHA accepted Housing Choice Voucher pre-applications May 15 to 19, 2017, the first time since 2002. It was online only, one application per person, and selection was by lottery. Ask JCHA which preferences it uses now; its older plan favored Jersey City residents, working families, veterans and elderly or disabled applicants. Expect a similar one-week, online, lottery format next time.
Public housing last opened for one week, August 6 to 12, 2018, also online with a lottery. People who live or work in Jersey City got preference, and results took about ten weeks.
We check JCHA's applicants page every week and email subscribers the day it changes.
2026 income limits (Hudson County / Jersey City metro)
| Household size | 30% AMI (extremely low) | 50% AMI (very low) | 80% AMI (low) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $30,950 | $51,550 | $82,550 |
| 2 | $35,400 | $58,950 | $94,350 |
| 3 | $39,800 | $66,300 | $106,150 |
| 4 | $44,200 | $73,700 | $117,900 |
Initial eligibility is normally the 50% line, and JCHA targets 75% of new vouchers to households under the 30% line.
How much rent a Jersey City voucher covers
JCHA has used HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents since January 1, 2025, so the payment standard depends on the zip code of the apartment rather than one city-wide number. HUD's FY2027 figures, effective October 1, 2026, show how wide the spread is: the two-bedroom SAFMR is $4,190 in Downtown and waterfront zips (07302, 07310, 07311), $2,770 in the Heights (07307), $2,600 in Journal Square (07306), $2,520 in 07304 and $2,460 in Greenville (07305). The metro-wide FY2027 FMR for Hudson County is studio $2,462 · 1BR $2,514 · 2BR $2,792 · 3BR $3,392. Ask JCHA for the current standard for the zip you are searching in. You pay about 30% of adjusted income toward rent; if you pick a unit above the standard, your share at move-in cannot exceed 40% of adjusted monthly income.
Other ways to get subsidized housing in Jersey City
HUD-assisted private buildings. More than 30 project-based Section 8 and other HUD-assisted buildings in Jersey City keep their own waiting lists and take applications directly from the management office. See the full list with contacts on our Jersey City city page.
NJ DCA statewide voucher list. Open to Hudson County residents whenever it reopens; closed since its January–February 2023 opening. Details in our New Jersey Section 8 guide.
Jersey City affordable-housing lotteries. Inclusionary units for households under 80% of Hudson County AMI are rented through lotteries run by each development, not by the city. The city's Division of Affordable Housing publishes the list at jerseycitynj.gov under Housing and Development.
Emergency help. Call or text 211, or call the Hudson County Homeless Hotline at 1-800-624-0287 (24 hours). The city's Office of Landlord Tenant Relations (201-547-4821) handles rent-control and building-service complaints.
Your rights as a voucher holder in Jersey City
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. 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; in most buildings the Anti-Eviction Act also requires good cause, and the security deposit cannot be more than one and a half months' rent. Small owner-occupied buildings can be exceptions.
Get an email when JCHA reopens
Sign up below. We check JCHA's applicants page and the DCA statewide page every week and email you when either changes. We are an independent informational service, not a government agency, housing authority or landlord.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Jersey City Section 8 waiting list open?
- No. JCHA says all of its waiting lists are closed as of November 2026. The voucher list last opened May 15 to 19, 2017, the first time since 2002.
- When did Jersey City public housing last open?
- August 6 to 12, 2018, online only, with a lottery and preference for people who live or work in Jersey City.
- What are the 2026 income limits for Section 8 in Jersey City?
- HUD's FY2026 very-low-income (50%) limits for Hudson County are $51,550 for one person, $58,950 for two, $66,300 for three and $73,700 for four. Extremely-low (30%) limits are $30,950, $35,400, $39,800 and $44,200.
- How much rent does a Jersey City voucher cover?
- JCHA uses Small Area Fair Market Rents, so it depends on the zip code. HUD's FY2027 two-bedroom SAFMR is $4,190 in Downtown 07302 but $2,460 in Greenville 07305; the metro-wide two-bedroom FMR is $2,792.
- How do I port a voucher into Jersey City?
- Contact JCHA's portability desk at 201-706-4677 or 201-706-4678, or ports@jcha.us.
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