Housing Authority City of Jersey City, Section 8 / HCV PHA Profile
Housing Authority City of Jersey City administers federal Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, NJ, with 5,341 authorized HCV units (HUD Standard Performer size bracket). Contact details, payment-standard reference, and nearby PHAs to broaden your waitlist strategy.
How this PHA compares nearby
Authorized HCV units · HA vs nearby NJ agencies
- Newark HA
Newark Housing Authority
8,481 units
- This PHA
Housing Authority City of Jersey City (this PHA)
5,341 units
- HA Bergen County
Housing Authority of Bergen County
4,155 units
- Paterson HA 3,000
Paterson Housing Authority
3,000 units
- HA Camden 2,306
Housing Authority of the City of Camden
2,306 units
- HA Passaic 2,159
Housing Authority of the City of Passaic
2,159 units
The verdict
Housing Authority City of Jersey City administers 5,341 authorized Housing Choice Vouchers - among the largest Section 8 agencies in the country, larger than 98% of NJ agencies.
- 5,341
- authorized Section 8 vouchers
- 97th
- percentile by size, nationally
- 98th
- percentile in NJ
Housing Authority City of Jersey City, based in NJ, administers the federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program with 5,341 authorized Section 8 units (Standard Performer size bracket). Waitlist status changes without much notice, so confirm directly with the agency before applying.
- 98th percentile by unit count in NJ
- HUD size bracket: Standard Performer
Section 8 / HCV units
5,341
Standard Performer bracket
Total authorized units
2,431
All programs combined
State-rank percentile
98 th
Among NJ PHAs
2-BR standard range · NJ
$1,591–$2,299 /mo
Median $2,028/mo · 2-BR
Compared to nationwide HUD median of 62%, PHAs with high HCV share typically focus on tenant-based assistance over project-based public housing.
Where Housing Authority City of Jersey City sits among U.S. PHAs
By authorized Housing Choice Vouchers, across every PHA that runs them. Most are small; a handful of big-city authorities run the long right tail.
5,341 Top 4% higher than 96% of 2,129 voucher-running PHAs
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more voucher-running PHAs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source HUD PIH authorized-unit directory · FY2025
What HUD's PIH Record for Housing Authority City of Jersey City Tells You
Housing Authority City of Jersey City appears in HUD's Public and Indian Housing (PIH) Open Data set, one of 3,780 Public Housing Authorities nationwide running the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program alongside every other agency in NJ. This agency's HUD authorization runs to 5,341 Section 8 / HCV units, out of 2,431 total authorized units when every HUD program is counted. Under HUD's PHAS scoring, this agency carries a "Standard Performer" designation, a bracket that affects how often it reports and how closely HUD oversees it.
Ranked by Section 8 unit count within NJ, it sits at the 98th percentile there, ahead of 98% of NJ PHAs by that measure. HUD's directory categorizes it under the "Combined" program type, the classification that governs which voucher streams -- regular HCV, VASH, Family Unification, Mainstream, or project-based conversions -- it is eligible to run. The federal rulebook lets every PHA set its own waitlist rules, admissions plan, and local preferences, so this authorized-unit total is best read as a program cap, not a live vacancy count.
its main line is 2017064638. Use the nearby-PHA list below to broaden your waitlist strategy across the state. Across NJ's 11 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard runs $1,591-$2,299/month (median $2,028); Housing Authority City of Jersey City sets its own figure within 90-110% of HUD's Fair Market Rent for the specific area it serves, so confirm the exact number for your metro before signing anything.
Contact this PHA
- Phone
- 2017064638
- Fax
- 5512567740
- scea@jcha.us
- Executive Director
- scea@jcha.us · 2017064602
How to apply at Housing Authority City of Jersey City
How to apply at this PHA
Before applying, confirm whether this PHA's waitlist is currently open. Waitlist status can change without much notice, some PHAs open for as little as 72 hours at a time. Application channels typically include:
- The PHA's own website (search "Housing Authority City of Jersey City Section 8 application")
- A public notice posted at the PHA office or in the legal notices of the local newspaper
- HUD-approved housing counseling agencies in the area
- Local legal-aid and tenant-advocacy groups
See our step-by-step How to Apply for Section 8 guide for the full federal application process.
What to expect, typical waitlist
HUD does not publish current waitlist open/closed status centrally, and waitlist lengths vary sharply by local demand. In high-cost metros, waits can exceed 5–10 years and many waitlists are closed. In smaller cities and rural counties, waits of 6 months to 3 years are more typical. Some PHAs use a lottery rather than first-come-first-served. This site does not predict your individual wait time. Contact the PHA directly to confirm the current list status and whether local preferences apply to your household. Our waitlist strategy guide explains how to maximize your odds by applying to multiple PHAs.
Payment standard reference
Payment standards are set per HUD FMR area, not per agency. Across NJ's 11 HUD FMR areas, the FY2025 2-bedroom payment standard ranges $1,591–$2,299/month (median $2,028). Housing Authority City of Jersey City sets its own figure within 90–110% of HUD's Fair Market Rent for the specific area it serves.
Find your exact number: look up the 2-, 1-, and 3-bedroom payment standards for your metro with the payment-standard lookup tool, then confirm the current figure with the PHA before signing a lease. See our Payment Standards vs. FMR guide.
Nearby PHAs in NJ
A closed waitlist here doesn't rule out the region, applying to several nearby PHAs at once is the standard workaround. Agencies close by:
- Housing Authority of Bergen County · 4,155 units
- Paterson Housing Authority · 3,000 units
- Housing Authority of the City of Camden · 2,306 units
- Newark Housing Authority · 8,481 units
- Housing Authority of the City of Passaic · 2,159 units
Related guides
Source: HUD PIH Open Data (FY25). Last compiled April 2026. Payment-standard figures: Source: HUD USER Fair Market Rent FY2025. If any contact detail has changed, please email corrections@plainvoucher.com. See our methodology for how we compile and cross-reference this data.
⚠ Disclaimer. PlainVoucher is not affiliated with HUD or with Housing Authority City of Jersey City. Data here is compiled from HUD public sources for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for consulting the PHA directly about eligibility, waitlist status, or application procedures.