Emergency Housing Voucher Program
Housing Authority of Bergen County
The Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program is a tenant-based rental assistance program funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). EHVs are to assist individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness; at risk of experiencing homelessness; fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking; or were recently homeless and for whom providing rental assistance will prevent the family’s homelessness or having high risk of housing instability.
Application Submission
Applicants for Emergency Housing Vouchers must first be screened through our Homeless Prevention hotline (201-336-6490). Applicants will be preliminarily screened and reviewed, if the applicant has submitted all the required documentation and meets all eligibility criteria, the application will be forwarded to the HABC for full eligibility determination. Incomplete applications will not be referred to the HABC. Assistance is awarded based on funding availability.
Eligibility is limited to households with a gross income at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) and must meet ONE of the following Categories
- Category 1 - Currently experiencing homelessness;
The meaning of “homeless” is defined in section 103(a) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302(a)), which is codified in HUD’s Continuum of Care Program regulations at 24 CFR 578.3
(click here for additional qualifying criteria)
- Category 2 - At risk for homelessness AND below 30% AMI income limit;
(click here for additional qualifying criteria)
- Category 3 - Fleeing, or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking;
This category is composed of any individual or family who is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking. This includes cases where a HUD-assisted tenant reasonably believes that there is a threat of imminent harm from further violence if they remain within the same dwelling unit, or in the case of sexual assault, the HUD-assisted tenant reasonably believes there is a threat of imminent harm from further violence if they remain within the same dwelling unit that they are currently occupying, or the sexual assault occurred on the premise during the 90-day period preceding the date of the request for transfer.
(click here for additional qualifying criteria)
- Category 4 - Recently homeless or have a high-risk of housing instability.
This category is composed of individuals and families determined by the CoC or its designee to meet the following definition.
Recently homeless is defined as individuals and families who have previously been classified by a member agency of the CoC as homeless but are not currently homeless as a result of homeless assistance (financial assistance or services), temporary rental assistance or some type of other assistance, and where the CoC or its designee determines that the loss of such assistance would result in a return to homelessness or the family having a high risk of housing instability. Examples of households that may be defined as recently homeless by the CoC include, but are not limited to, participants in rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing.
Individuals and families classified as recently homeless must be referred by the CoC or its designee.
(click here for additional qualifying criteria)
Listed below are the income limits for the program:
Household Size – Number of Persons Living in Household
|
Category |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
Extremely Low (30% AMI) |
$23,000 |
$26,250 |
$29,550 |
$32,800 |
$35,450 |
$38,050 |
|
Very Low (50% AMI) |
$38,300 |
$43,800 |
$49,250 |
$54,700 |
$59,100 |
$63,500 |
For more information or eligibility screening please complete online or call HABC’s Homeless Prevention hotline 201-336-6490.
THIS IS NOT A GUARANTEE OF APPLICATION OR HOUSING. Applicants will be preliminarily screened for EHV or other emergency rental assistance programs. Based on eligibility and availability of funding.