STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS, Section 8 / HCV PHA Profile
STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS administers federal Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance, NJ, with 25,164 authorized HCV units. Contact details, payment-standard reference, and nearby PHAs to broaden your waitlist strategy.
How this PHA compares nearby
Authorized HCV units · STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS vs nearby NJ agencies
- This PHA
STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS (this PHA)
25,164 units
- Newark HA 8,481
Newark Housing Authority
8,481 units
- HA City of Jersey City 5,341
Housing Authority City of Jersey City
5,341 units
- HA Bergen County 4,155
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
The verdict
STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS administers 25,164 authorized Housing Choice Vouchers - among the largest Section 8 agencies in the country, the largest in NJ.
- 25,164
- authorized Section 8 vouchers
- 99th
- percentile by size, nationally
- 99th
- percentile in NJ
As a HUD-certified Public Housing Authority in NJ, STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS runs Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance with 25,164 authorized Section 8 units. Reach the agency directly for current waitlist status and application steps.
- 99th percentile by unit count in NJ
Section 8 / HCV units
25,164
HUD-authorized
Total authorized units
-
All programs combined
State-rank percentile
99 th
Among NJ PHAs
2-BR standard range · NJ
$1,591–$2,299 /mo
Median $2,028/mo · 2-BR
The nationwide HUD median sits at 62%; agencies running a higher HCV share than that tend to lean toward tenant-based vouchers rather than project-based public housing stock.
Where STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS 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.
25,164 Top 1% higher than 99% 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
Inside HUD's Federal Record for STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS
STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS 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. HUD authorizes 25,164 Section 8 / HCV units for this agency.
HUD logs its program type as "Section 8," which determines which voucher streams (regular HCV, VASH, Family Unification, Mainstream, or project-based conversions) it can run. Ranked by Section 8 unit count within NJ, it sits at the 99th percentile there, ahead of 99% of NJ PHAs by that measure. HUD sets the ceiling; each PHA still runs its own waitlist, admissions plan, and local preferences under the federal Section 8 rulebook, so the number above caps capacity without guaranteeing an open list today.
its main line is 6096336204. 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); STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS 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
- 6096336204
- Fax
- 6096338084
- nieisha.law@dca.nj.gov
- Executive Director
- elena.gaines@dca.nj.gov · 6092923410
How to apply at STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS
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 "STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS 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). STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS 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
If this PHA's waitlist is closed, applying to additional PHAs in the same region is a recommended strategy. Other PHAs nearby:
- Newark Housing Authority · 8,481 units
- Housing Authority City of Jersey City · 5,341 units
- Housing Authority of Bergen County · 4,155 units
- Paterson Housing Authority · 3,000 units
- Housing Authority of the City of Camden · 2,306 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 STATE OF NJ DEPT. OF COMM. AFFAIRS. 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.