Is Newark public housing taking applications?

Yes. NHA opened its general Low-Income Public Housing waiting list on January 29, 2026 through its online portal, and most site-based lists accept applications online.

What are the 2026 income limits for Section 8 in Newark?

HUD's FY2026 very-low-income (50%) limits for Essex 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 a Newark voucher cover?

NHA's posted payment standards are $1,612 for a studio, $1,822 for a one-bedroom, $2,205 for a two-bedroom and $2,761 for a three-bedroom. You pay about 30% of adjusted income.

Who do I call about my NHA application?

NHA's Occupancy department handles waiting-list questions at 973-273-6127; HCV customer service is 973-273-6206 or hcvcustomerservice@newarkha.org.

Newark Section 8 Waitlist: Is It Open? How to Apply (2026)

Q: Is the Newark Section 8 waiting list open?

No. NHA's Housing Choice Voucher page says the waiting list is closed and no applications are being accepted. It reopened September 16, 2025 for the first time since 2013 and has since closed.

How to apply for Section 8 in Newark: NHA voucher waitlist status (closed), the public housing list, 2026 income limits, payment standards and 60+ HUD-assisted buildings.

In Newark, Section 8 (the Housing Choice Voucher program) and public housing are both run by the Newark Housing Authority (NHA), the largest housing authority in New Jersey. NHA's voucher waiting list is closed, but its public housing lists are taking applications, and Newark has more HUD-assisted private buildings than any other city in the state. This guide covers all three routes.

Newark Housing Authority at a glance

Main office: 500 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102
HCV customer service: 973-273-6206 · hcvcustomerservice@newarkha.org (inspections: nhainspections@newarkha.org)
Main line (Customer Service Center): 973-273-6000 · Waiting-list questions (Occupancy): 973-273-6127
Applicant portal (Rent Cafe) and status check: linked from newarkha.org under Applicants
Voucher-holder services: newark.nanmckay.com (forms, FAQs, e-signatures)

Is the Newark Section 8 waiting list open?

No. NHA's Housing Choice Voucher page states that the waiting list is currently closed and no new applications are being accepted. NHA reopened its voucher list on September 16, 2025, for the first time since 2013; applicants were selected by lottery, with preferences for households that live or work in Newark, veterans, and seniors 62 and older. The list has since closed, and no next opening has been announced.

We check NHA's page every week. Sign up at the bottom of this guide and you will get an email the day the status changes.

Newark public housing: open now

NHA's general Low-Income Public Housing waiting list opened January 29, 2026 through the Rent Cafe portal, and most site-based lists accept applications online. Rent in public housing is about 30% of adjusted income, the same formula as a voucher, so for many families it is the faster route.

Family developments include Betty Shabazz Village, Joseph P. Bradley Court, Stephen Crane Village, Pennington Court and Wynona Lipman Gardens; senior buildings include Baxter Terrace Elderly, Seth Boyden Elderly, Stephen Crane Elderly and James C. White Manor. You can list preferences for specific sites. NHA is also converting some developments through HUD's Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program.

How the voucher process works once you are selected

Eligibility determination. NHA verifies income, household members, citizenship or eligible immigration status, and runs criminal background checks on adults.
Briefing and voucher issuance. You attend a briefing and receive a voucher stating your bedroom size.
Housing search. Find a unit in Newark, or ask NHA about moving ("porting") your voucher to another area. Landlords must pass a Housing Quality Standards inspection and a rent-reasonableness test.
Lease and HAP contract. NHA signs a Housing Assistance Payment contract with the owner and pays its share directly each month.
Annual recertification. Report income and household changes; your share is recalculated each year.

2026 income limits (Essex 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

The 50% line is used for initial eligibility; at least 75% of new vouchers go to households under the 30% line. The 80% line applies mainly to families porting in with an existing voucher.

How much rent a Newark voucher covers

As of November 2026 NHA's posted payment standards are studio $1,612 · 1BR $1,822 · 2BR $2,205 · 3BR $2,761 · 4BR $3,137. HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Newark metro area, effective October 1, 2026, are slightly higher ($1,637 / $1,850 / $2,233 / $2,785 / $3,188), so ask NHA whether its standards have been updated. You pay about 30% of adjusted income; the voucher covers the rest up to the standard. If you pick a unit that rents above the standard, your share at move-in cannot be more than 40% of your adjusted monthly income.

Other ways to get subsidized housing in Newark

HUD-assisted private buildings. Newark has more than 60 project-based Section 8 and other HUD-assisted buildings that keep their own waiting lists and take applications directly from the management office, no voucher needed. See the full list with phone numbers on our Newark city page.

NJ DCA statewide voucher list. Closed since its January–February 2023 opening, but open to Essex County residents whenever it reopens. Details in our New Jersey Section 8 guide.

Emergency help. Call or text 211. For back rent, Essex County's Homelessness Prevention Program agencies are United Community Corporation (973-629-7885) and Family Promise of Essex County (973-746-1400); Family Promise also runs HPRP2 eviction help.

Your rights as a voucher holder in Newark

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, and in most buildings the Anti-Eviction Act requires good cause. If you live in NHA public housing, NHA must give you at least 14 days' written notice before ending your lease for unpaid rent; if you rent with a voucher or live in a HUD-assisted building, federal law may require 30 days' notice to vacate before a nonpayment filing. Legal Services of New Jersey (1-888-576-5529) can tell you which rule applies.

Get an email when the Newark list reopens

Sign up below. We check NHA's voucher 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.

Newark Section 8 Waitlist: Is It Open? How to Apply in 2026

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