The COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program (CVERAP) will provide temporary rental assistance to low- and moderate-income households that have had a substantial reduction in income or became unemployed due the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants may be eligible for a maximum of up to six months of emergency rental assistance. The assistance will be capped at DCA’s fair market rent standard or the total of the rent, whichever is lesser. All participants will be reviewed at the three-month interval to see if they are still in need of assistance. Persons applying must meet all applicable CVERAP income and eligibility requirements. You must be eighteen (18) years of age or older to apply or be an emancipated minor. Only one (1) pre-application per household will be accepted. All participants will be selected through an online lottery process.
Anyone selected for the program must meet the following requirements:
Have a gross, annual household income that is at or below the maximum income limits for the county where they are be residing
Be a New Jersey resident and rent a unit in New Jersey
Rent must be current as of March 2020; this program will not assist with arrears
Have a substantial reduction in income or are currently receiving unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Have a lack of assets and savings to pay rent
Will pay a minimum of 30 percent of their income towards the rent
SHORT-TERM RENTAL ASSISTANCE MAXIMUM INCOME LIMITS
The chart below shows the maximum income limits currently in effect for households of up to eight members. If you have a larger household, please contact DCA at 609-292-4080, and select Option 1 or 8 for assistance in determining the maximum income limits for your household.
COVID-19 EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE MAXIMUM INCOME LIMIT |
COUNTY | 1 PERSON | 2 PERSON | 3 PERSON | 4 PERSON | 5 PERSON | 6 PERSON | 7 PERSON | 8 PERSON |
Atlantic County | $46,450 | $53,100 | $59,750 | $66,350 | $71,700 | $77,000 | $82,300 | $87,600 |
Bergen County | $54,950 | $62,800 | $70,650 | $78,500 | $84,800 | $91,100 | $9,7350 | $103,650 |
Burlington County | $54,150 | $61,850 | $69,600 | $77,300 | $83,500 | $89,700 | $95,900 | $102,050 |
Camden County | $54,150 | $61,850 | $69,600 | $77,300 | $83,500 | $89,700 | $95,900 | $102,050 |
Cape May County | $48,100 | $54,950 | $61,800 | $68,650 | $74,150 | $79,650 | $85,150 | $90,650 |
Cumberland County | $41,100 | $47,000 | $52,850 | $58,700 | $63,400 | $68,100 | $72,800 | $77,500 |
Essex County | $54,950 | $62,800 | $70,650 | $78,500 | $84,800 | $91,100 | $97,350 | $103,650 |
Gloucester County | $54,150 | $61,850 | $69,600 | $77,300 | $83,500 | $89,700 | $95,900 | $102,050 |
Hudson County | $55,250 | $63,150 | $71,050 | $78,900 | $85,250 | $91,550 | $97,850 | $104,150 |
Hunterdon County | $57,800 | $66,050 | $74,300 | $82,550 | $89,200 | $95,800 | $102,400 | $109,000 |
Mercer County | $54,950 | $62,800 | $70,650 | $78,500 | $84,800 | $91,100 | $97,350 | $103,650 |
Middlesex County | $57,800 | $66,050 | $74,300 | $82,550 | $89,200 | $95,800 | $102,400 | $109,000 |
Monmouth County | $54,950 | $62,800 | $70,650 | $78,500 | $84,800 | $91,100 | $97,350 | $103,650 |
Morris County | $54,950 | $62,800 | $70,650 | $78,500 | $84,800 | $91,100 | $97,350 | $103,650 |
Ocean County | $54,950 | $62,800 | $70,650 | $78,500 | $84,800 | $91,100 | $97,350 | $103,650 |
Passaic County | $54,950 | $62,800 | $70,650 | $78,500 | $84,800 | $91,100 | $97,350 | $103,650 |
Salem County | $54,150 | $61,850 | $69,600 | $77,300 | $83,500 | $89,700 | $95,900 | $102,050 |
Somerset County | $57,800 | $66,050 | $74,300 | $82,550 | $89,200 | $95,800 | $102,400 | $109,000 |
Sussex County | $54,950 | $62,800 | $70,650 | $78,500 | $84,800 | $91,100 | $97,350 | $103,650 |
Union County | $54,950 | $62,800 | $70,650 | $78,500 | $84,800 | $91,100 | $97,350 | $103,650 |
Warren County | $54,950 | $62,800 | $70,650 | $78,500 | $84,800 | $91,100 | $97,350 | $103,650 |
WHEN:
CVERAP Pre-applications will only be accepted ONLINE. The open enrollment period is
Monday, July 6, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. to Friday, July 10, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
PROCESS:
CVERAP pre-applications can be submitted ONLINE starting on July 6th at 9:00 a.m. with the use of a personal computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet at https://www.waitlistcheck.com/NJ559-2809. This link will not be accessible before July 6th at 9:00 a.m.
Paper CVERAP pre-applications will not be distributed or accepted. Submission of a CVERAP pre-application does not guarantee placement in the Program. Only one CVERAP pre-application per household per county will be accepted. Duplicate CVERAP pre-applications will be rejected.
HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION REQUIRED:
Names, birthdates, income and assets information for all individuals living in the household. An email address is also required. If you do not have an e-mail address, the application process will allow you to create one. If you are not proficient in English, the CVERAP pre-application is available in 90 languages; this information can be found starting on July 6th at 9:00 a.m.at https://www.waitlistcheck.com/NJ559-2809, at the top right of the pre-application. This link will not be accessible before July 6th at 9:00 a.m.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS:
The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) will extend reasonable accommodations to disabled individuals, and persons who have limited English proficiency on a case-by-case basis and will take into consideration the disability and the need(s) of the individual(s) or those households without internet access. Please call DCA’s Applicant Service Unit at 609-292-4080, Option 1 or 8, to request an accommodation.
LOTTERY PROCESS:
A computerized selection (lottery) process will be used to select eligible applicants. Every application submitted during the open enrollment period has the same chance of being selected during the lottery.
Please be advised that the submission of a CVERAP pre-application does not guarantee placement in the program, or a COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program temporary subsidy.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Status information will be available at: https://www.WaitlistCheck.com. by July 21, 2020. At this site, you can verify if you were selected for the program. If you were selected to the program your status will be Active; if you were not selected it will be Inactive.
Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions at: https://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/dhcr/offices/docs/FAQs_CVERAP.pdf if you have any further questions.
Continue to check DCA’s website to see when new waiting lists will be opened in the future.