Jersey City Is Expanding The COVID-19 Rent Relief Program

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Starting Oct. 4, applications will open for the second phase of Jersey City's COVID-19 Rent Relief Program.

The program provides rental assistance to low-income residents struggling financially due to the pandemic and at risk of homelessness or housing instability. The application period is open from Oct. 4 through Oct. 18.

This next phase will provide eligible low-income Jersey City families with up to $10,000 in rental assistance. With expanded eligibility, the program will continue to focus on families living at or below 50 percent of Area Median Income. The first phase of the COVID-19 Rent Relief Program reserved eligibility for very low-income households renting in small, owner-occupied buildings to provide financial aid to Jersey City’s most vulnerable residents, both landlords and renters. Historically, this population faces more challenges applying for aid.

The initial funds focused on owner-occupied buildings, where the owner lives and relies on the rental income for sustaining their own home as opposed to a large developer or an absentee landlord that is more organized and would exhaust the limited funds available with their multiple investment properties.

"We’ve been very clear from the start of the Rent Relief Program that we’d use a phased approach to ensure our neediest residents and landlords receive the financial assistance they deserve, rather than opening it up broadly only to have limited funds monopolized by large developers and out-of-town investors," said Mayor Fulop. "We’ve already rolled out several financial assistance programs over the past 18 months to help residents, small business owners, and landlords impacted by COVID-19, and we will continue to expand financial assistance to those who need it most."

A recent survey released by Monarch Housing Associates found that more than half of the homeless population in Hudson County is in Jersey City. In Hudson County, of the 780 households identified as experiencing homelessness, 383 or 9.4 percent said COVID-19 was the cause.

Under this next phase of the rent relief program, financially impacted residents that earn up to 80 percent AMI and are at risk of experiencing housing instability may apply. In accordance with federal guidance, the program will prioritize households:

• with income less than 50 percent AMI; and
• one or more members who have not been employed for 90 days preceding the date of application.

The rental assistance will be paid directly to the landlord or property manager. Thanks to New Jersey’s eviction moratorium, all low-income residents earning less than 80 percent AMI are protected from eviction due to nonpayment through December 2021.

The online application period for the latest Jersey City COVID-19 Rent Relief Program will run from Monday, October 4, 2021, through Monday, October 18, 2021. For additional program details and a link to the application, please visit jcnj.org/HardshipAssistance.