Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8)
Customer Service Numbersfor Inquiriesand Program Participants
- 973-273-6208
- 973-273-6206
- 973-273-6242
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Waitlist Status Check https://newarkha.myhousing.com/Account/Login
Program Overview
The Housing Choice Voucher Program is a national rental assistance program, funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The goal of the program is to assist low- and moderate-income families to rent housing in the private market, by paying a portion of the family's rent each month. In Newark, the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) is administered by the NHA.
As administrator of the program, NHA's major responsibilities are to:
- Manage daily operations with fiscal integrity and in accordance with Federal rules and regulations
- Determine whether families and individuals are eligible for the program
- Inspect units to ensure that they meet Federal guidelines in terms of health and safety
- Pay the program's portion of the rent to the owner in a timely manner
- Monitor voucher participants and owners to ensure compliance with program rules
Ten Basic Steps to Program Participation
For eligible families, there are ten basic steps to participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program:
- Application*
- Eligibility Determination
- Applicant Briefing
- Issuance of a voucher
- Housing Search
- Housing Quality Standards (HQS) Inspection
- Rent Reasonableness Determination
- Execution of Lease and Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Contract
- Rent & Housing Assistance Payments
- Annual Recertification
Application Process
* The Housing Choice Voucher Program waiting list is currently closed. No new applications are being accepted at this time.
Participants' Responsibilities
Voucher families' responsibilities are to:
- Comply with program rules and the terms and conditions of their lease with the property owner
- Permit housing inspections
- Report changes in income and any changes in household composition
- Keep the unit in good condition
- Cooperate with the owner by informing him/her of any necessary repairs
- Cooperate with the Newark Housing Authority for initial, annual and complaint inspections
Income Eligibility
Income is one factor that determines eligibility to participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) establishes income limits by family size for all areas that a particular Public Housing Agency (PHA) may serve. There are two income limits which are used to determine eligibility for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and Moderate Rehabilitation Programs:
- Very Low Income limit: 50 percent of the area median income; and
- Low-Income limit: 80 percent of the area median income
Generally the very low income limit is used to determine initial eligibility, although there are some exceptions. HUD also publishes an extremely low-income limit: 30% of area median income. This limit is used for income targeting, and requires of Public Housing Authorities that not less than 75% of the families admitted to the program from the waiting list should be extremely low-income families, with some possible HUD-approved exceptions.
Payment Standard
| Unit Type | by Unit Type |
| Studio/Efficiency | $1,379 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,590 |
| 2 bedroom | $1,916 |
| 3 bedroom | $2,424 |
| 4 bedroom | $2,800 |
| 5 bedroom | $3,220 |
| 6 bedroom | $3,703 |
