Eviction prevention programs and rehousing in New Jersey
This page is for New Jersey residents who have received an eviction notice, are close to homelessness, or have already lost their home. It explains the programs the state pays for: money to catch up on back rent, free legal help to fight an eviction in court, and rapid rehousing that gets people who are homeless back into a place to live. If your county has its own page on this site, you will find the link below.
New Jersey runs these programs through both statewide programs and local county agencies, and this page covers both. The state sets up the programs and sends down the money. Local offices take the applications and decide who gets help and how much. So the first thing to sort out is which county you live in, because the quickest help usually comes from a local office, not from the state directly.
How the program works in New Jersey
The state agency in charge is the Department of Community Affairs, called the DCA. Inside it, the Office of Homelessness Prevention (website: https://www.nj.gov/dca/dhcr/offices/dhcrohp.shtml) and the Office of Eviction Prevention run the programs and send money to local groups around the state. You do not apply to the DCA yourself. You apply through a local agency or your county social services office.
New Jersey is split into local planning groups called Continuums of Care. People shorten this to CoC. A CoC is the group in your area that plans homeless services and decides how federal housing money is spent locally. Most CoCs in New Jersey cover a single county. A few cover several counties together. For example, one southern CoC covers Camden, Gloucester, Cape May, and Cumberland counties as a group. Because of this, the programs and the waiting lists are different from one county to the next.
Some of the money comes from a federal source called the Emergency Solutions Grant, or ESG. ESG pays for three main things: keeping people in their homes, helping homeless people get rehoused quickly, and running emergency shelters. The DCA passes this money down to local agencies.
Many counties also use a step called coordinated entry. It means you are assessed one time, and that single assessment is used to match you to the right program. You do not have to apply to a dozen places on your own.
There is also a faster, simpler kind of help called diversion. A worker talks through your situation with you and looks for a quick fix, such as helping you stay with family for a while, working something out with your landlord, or covering a small one-time cost. Diversion is meant to solve a crisis before it turns into an eviction or a shelter stay.
Who can get help to stop an eviction or get rehoused
The main program for people in danger of losing their home is the Homelessness Prevention Program. It is built for a short-term problem you could not control, such as a medical emergency, a lost or delayed paycheck or benefit, a disaster, or a change in who lives in your home. The main question the program asks is whether you can cover your own housing costs again going forward. This is short-term help to get you stabilized, not ongoing monthly support.
A few things are worth knowing before you call. The money usually goes straight to your landlord or your utility company, not to you. A case manager is part of the program, and they will help you set up a budget and a plan to stay stable. There are income limits, and you have to live in New Jersey. Funds can run low, so it helps to call as early as you can, before your court date if possible.
Free legal help to fight an eviction
In New Jersey, only a court can order an eviction, and only after a judge hears the case. Your landlord cannot change the locks, shut off your utilities, or force you out on their own. You have the right to go to court and tell your side. Do not move out just because a landlord tells you to.
Legal Services of New Jersey gives free legal help to low-income residents. You can reach the statewide hotline at 1-888-LSNJ-LAW, which is 1-888-576-5529, or apply online at https://lsnjlawhotline.org. If your case is an emergency, such as a court date coming up soon, they try to connect you with someone that same day. There are other legal options in the state too - see the legal assistance programs in New Jersey page.
New Jersey also pays for free lawyers and housing navigators for many tenants who are facing eviction in court. Legal Services of New Jersey is the main place to start, and they can tell you what you qualify for. One more thing the law requires: your landlord has to help you apply for rental assistance.
If you own your home
If you own your home and have fallen behind on the mortgage, New Jersey funds free foreclosure counseling through HUD-approved agencies, and Legal Services of New Jersey can help you fight a foreclosure in court. Reach out as early as you can, because more options are open before a case is far along. The HUD counseling is a free service - and see the NHPB New Jersey HUD counseling page.
Where to get help in your county
Start with your county. If you live in one of these counties, go to its page for local programs and contacts:
Bergen County homeless prevention
Camden County
Essex County
Hudson County
Mercer County
Middlesex County eviction prevention programs
Ocean County
If your county is not listed above, your county Board of Social Services is the official place to apply for the Homelessness Prevention Program and for emergency housing help. During weekday business hours, this is where to call first. After hours, on weekends, and on holidays, you can dial 2-1-1 to reach New Jersey's homeless hotline (or see https://nj211.org/housing-assistance-for-renters), which can arrange a one-time emergency placement if you qualify. Several nonprofits also run homelessness prevention and rehousing programs in the counties that do not have their own page here.
In the five southern counties of Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Camden helps with back rent, security deposits, and case management. Call (856) 342-4100. In Burlington County, the Burlington Community Action Partnership runs homelessness prevention and housing counseling. Call (609) 386-5800.
- In Monmouth County, Interfaith Neighbors runs the county's homelessness prevention program and can help with a rent or mortgage payment. Call (732) 775-0525.
- In the northwest counties of Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren, NORWESCAP helps low-income residents with homelessness prevention and housing. Call (908) 454-7000.
- In Passaic County, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Paterson runs a housing stabilization program through its Community Emergency Support office. Call (973) 279-7100.
- In Union County, PROCEED, Inc. helps tenants who are being evicted with rent, security deposits, and case management. Call (908) 351-7727.
More rent help in New Jersey
This page covers eviction prevention and rapid rehousing only. For broader rent help in New Jersey, including Section 8, cash assistance, the State Rental Assistance Program, church and charity funds, and utility help, see our New Jersey rental assistance page.
New Jersey residents ask questions and share what worked in our moderated forum, which is reviewed for accuracy by our team. You can read the New Jersey eviction prevention and rehousing discussion to see what others in the state have run into.
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