Rent Assistance in New Jersey

Last checked: November 2026. Benefits Explorer is a directory. We do not provide rent money or decide who gets help, and each program makes its own decisions.

New Jersey splits eviction help into a legal track and a money track, both under the Department of Community Affairs (DCA). Its Comprehensive Eviction Defense and Diversion program pairs eligible low-income tenants with a free attorney and a resource navigator in every county, while the Homelessness Prevention Program offers up to three months of past-due rent through county nonprofits.

DCA's state fiscal 2026 funding notice consolidates those two programs into one Omnibus Eviction and Homelessness Prevention grant, so county providers may change. Both tracks are also funding-dependent: HomeFront in Mercer County, for one, reports being extremely low on funds. Call the provider for your county and ask what it can offer now.

Where to Start in New Jersey

NJ Eviction Prevention Hotline

The hotline run by DCA's Office of Eviction Prevention, which oversees the state's eviction prevention and diversion programs. You can also email evictionprevention@dca.nj.gov. Its online NJ Eviction Guide tool covers tenant rights and options.

Visit website · Phone: (609) 376-0810 · Accepting applications when last checked

Comprehensive Eviction Defense and Diversion (CEDD)

For eligible low-income households facing or threatened with eviction, in every county. You get a free attorney who can represent you and negotiate with your landlord, plus a resource navigator who connects you to rental assistance and relocation support.

Visit website · Phone: (609) 376-0810 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP)

Up to three months of past-due rent for households in imminent danger of eviction because of temporary financial problems. Apply through your county's agency; the county list is on this page, and some are shown below. Questions go to the Office of Homelessness Prevention.

Visit website · Phone: (609) 376-0811 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

HPRP2

For households at imminent risk of homelessness. You must have a summons or warrant of removal from landlord-tenant court, with a docket number and court date, and maximum gross annual income is 30 percent of area median income.

Visit website · Phone: (609) 376-0811 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

NJ 211

Connects you to housing and other services 24/7. Call 211, or text 898211. DCA says to call or text 2-1-1 if your need is immediate.

Visit website · Phone: 211 · Accepting applications when last checked

Local Rent Help in New Jersey

United Community Corporation (Essex County, including Newark)

Listed by DCA for both HPP rent help (973-629-7885) and CEDD eviction defense (973-642-0181). Family Promise of Essex County, at 973-746-1400, is the county's other HPP agency.

Visit website · Phone: 973-629-7885 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Garden State Home (Bergen, Hudson and Middlesex Counties)

DCA's listed CEDD provider for these counties, including Jersey City, for eviction defense and a resource navigator. HPP rent help in Bergen goes through Greater Bergen Community Action at 201-968-0200 ext. 7505, and in Middlesex through the Puerto Rican Assn. for Human Development at 732-638-2814.

Visit website · Phone: 732-532-6865 ext. 902 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Camden County Council on Economic Opportunity (Camden County)

DCA's listed HPP agency for Camden County. For eviction defense there, DCA lists Center for Family Services at 877-922-2377.

Visit website · Phone: 856-964-6887 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

HomeFront Housing Stability Program (Mercer County, including Trenton)

To start eligibility screening, leave a message with your name and phone number; calls are returned in the order received. HomeFront says it is extremely low on funding right now, so financial help is limited and cases are delayed.

Visit website · Phone: 609-989-9417 ext. 141 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

PROCEED, Inc. (Union County, including Elizabeth)

One of two HPP agencies DCA lists for Union County; Bridges Outreach at 908-456-8928 is the other. For eviction defense, DCA lists The Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless at 908-355-2060.

Visit website · Phone: 908-351-7727 ext. 236 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Catholic Family and Community Services (Passaic County, including Paterson)

DCA lists this agency for both HPP rent help and CEDD eviction defense in Passaic County.

Visit website · Phone: 973-279-7100 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Facing Eviction in New Jersey?

The New Jersey courts say only Special Civil Part officers can enforce an eviction; a landlord cannot carry one out personally. A tenant cannot be evicted for nonpayment if the full amount is paid: a case may be dismissed if you pay all rent owed and allowable court costs to the court by 4:30 p.m. on the trial date. Even after a judgment for possession, paying in full within three business days of an eviction can get the case dismissed, using cash, a money order or a cashier's check. Settlements must be approved by a judge. Read the official guidance

Free or low-cost legal help: Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ). Free legal help for low-income New Jerseyans through the statewide hotline, 1-888-LSNJ-LAW. You can also apply online at lsnjlawhotline.org. If you are not eligible, the courts suggest a lawyer referral program in your county. Visit website · Phone: 1-888-576-5529

This page is general information, not legal advice. Don't ignore a notice or court papers, because eviction deadlines can be short.

More Help in New Jersey

Want other options? See our full rent assistance guide, including how to spot a scam, or see your options. That form is not an application for rent assistance. If you submit it, Benefits Explorer and its partners may contact you.

New Jersey Rent Assistance Questions

How much back rent can New Jersey's Homelessness Prevention Program cover?

DCA describes it as up to three months of assistance to pay past-due rent, for households in imminent danger of eviction because of temporary financial problems. It lists no dollar amount, and funds run through county agencies, so ask yours what is available.

Can I get a free lawyer for a New Jersey eviction?

Eligible low-income tenants facing or threatened with eviction can get a free attorney through DCA's CEDD program, which is available in every county. You can also call the LSNJ hotline at 1-888-576-5529.

Can I still pay and stay on my New Jersey trial date?

The courts say the case may be dismissed if you pay all rent owed, including allowable court costs, to the court by 4:30 p.m. on the scheduled trial date, and that the landlord cannot refuse a timely offer of full payment.

Is New Jersey's COVID emergency rental program still open?

DCA still lists a COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program Phase II page without saying whether it is taking applications, and we found nothing showing that it is. Use the current county agencies and the Eviction Prevention Hotline instead of relying on it.

Rent Assistance in Nearby States

Most programs only help people who live in their state. If you are moving or live near a state line, you can also check:

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