DCA Announces COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Application Period Closes on December 15, 2021

The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) announced that the second Phase of the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program (CVERAP) and Eviction Protection Program application period will be closing on December 15, 2021. The CVERAP program, which has been a statewide effort to help keep people housed during the pandemic, was initiated in 2019 to offer relief to low- and moderate-income households that are unable to pay rent due to COVID-19. The programs are administered by DCA’s Division of Housing and Community Resources and have thus far distributed more than $421 million in federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) funds to 47,329 New Jersey households.

“We are urging New Jersey residents who are unable to pay their rent to apply for assistance before the application period closes on December 15,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who serves as DCA Commissioner. “We also want people to be aware of the risk of being evicted from their home for non-payment of rent and to protect themselves by filling out the eviction protection self-certification form offered by the State.”

Applications will remain open for the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance and Eviction Prevention Program (EPP) through December 15, 2021. People can visit njdca.onlinepha.com to apply for both of these programs. Applications can be submitted online with the use of a personal computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet. The application is available in ten languages.

Households should be advised that applicants are not guaranteed assistance because the number of applications will exceed the funding currently on hand to provide rental relief. All applications received before the deadline will be included in the lottery in an effort to fairly distribute the remaining federal funds.

In addition to providing financial help through the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program and Eviction Prevention Program, the State introduced critical eviction protections for renter households that have experienced economic hardships during the pandemic. To be protected from eviction due to nonpayment of rent during the pandemic, residents must first self-certify for these protections. To find out more about current eviction protections available and how to self-certify for these protections, people can visit covid19.nj.gov/renter.

People with questions or who have difficulty accessing the internet when applying for these programs should contact DCA’s call center at 609-490-4550 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. The call center is staffed with English and Spanish speakers and has translation services for other languages. Pre-applications may be submitted over the phone by those without internet access.

Landlords may apply for assistance on behalf of a tenant. The landlord must:

· Obtain the signature of the tenant on the application, which may be documented electronically; and

· Must provide documentation of the application to the tenant to notify the tenant that the application has been submitted.

As part of the programs, DCA is encouraging landlords to agree to a reasonable payment plan for any rent arrears and rent not covered by the rental assistance and commit to not filing for eviction for non-payment of rent during the term of the assistance.

DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including affordable housing production, fire safety, building safety, community planning and development, local government management and finance, and disaster recovery and mitigation.

 

Read More Information About COVID-19

Renters Have 2 Weeks To Apply For Aid

Renters Have 2 Weeks To Apply For AidGreat interview with POA Past President Derek Reed, Esq. of Ehrlich Petriello Gudin Plaza and Reed P.C. discussing the approaching deadline.  NJ Renters Have 2 Weeks To Apply For Rental Aid As Eviction Moratorium Sunsets | WNYC...

read more

Eviction Moratorium Update

Eviction Moratorium UpdateOn August 5, 2021, New Jersey’s Governor signed NJ S.B. 3691/A.B. 5685 (2021), which will officially end New Jersey’s Eviction Moratorium in waves based on income level beginning August 31, 2021. After August 31, 2021, landlords may evict...

read more

NJ’s Eviction Prevention Program

NJ's Eviction Prevention Program  New Jersey’s Eviction Prevention Program will pay up to two years of rent arrears and future rent, as well as utility assistance, for low-, moderate-, and middle-income households that have experienced an economic impact due to...

read more

Read more News & Views.

Smart Meters Are Coming To South Jersey

Smart Meters Are Coming To South JerseyAtlantic City Electric’s broad installation of new smart meters for its nearly 565,000 customers in South Jersey began in September. These smart meters will be distributed at residential and commercial properties in all or parts...

CRC Issues Workplace Guidance For Cannabis Use

In an effort to balance safety with employees’ rights, the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission issued guidance for workplaces as a first step toward approving standards for Workplace Impairment Recognition Expert (WIRE) certifications.  Released Sept. 7, the...

Lead-Based Paint in Rental Dwellings

A comprehensive guide to identifying and addressing lead-based paint hazards in rental dwellings lead_based_paint_guide_rental_dwellings.pdf (nj.gov)

New Insurance Requirements for Landlords

A new bill requires the owner of a business or the owner of a rental unit or units to maintain a liability insurance policy, including, but not limited to, commercial general liability insurance, personal liability, or an umbrella insurance policy for negligent acts...

News & Views August 2022

Features Proper Expense File Management  Division of Civil Rights Announces a Crackdown On Violations Of The Fair Chance In Housing Act 4 Ways To Streamline Maintenance For Your Property Management Business Murphy Signs Insurance Bill-What Owners Need To Know Can a...

New Jersey’s Lead Safe Certification Law

NJ’s new lead-based paint law goes into effect in July of 2022 and directly targets ALL pre-1978 rental properties.  This new law is being referred to as, New Jersey’s Lead Safe Certification and will require lead-paint inspections, (Visual &/or Dust wipes) on all...

Murphy Administration Announces Opening of Wait List for State Rental Assistance Program

DCA's Division of Housing & Community Resources will be accepting pre-applications online for the State Rental Assistance Program waiting list from July 11 to July 22. For information about the SRAP program and eligibility requirements, please visit:...

Bill Requiring Owners To Maintain Liability Insurance

Requires business owners and rental unit owners to maintain certain liability insurance policies.An act requiring liability insurance for business owners and rental unit owners and supplementing title 17 of the revised statutes.Be it enacted by the senate and general...

News & Views May 2022

Features Bill Requiring Owners To Maintain Liability Insurance Gateway Metro Apartment Performances Gain Momentum High Inflation Places Spotlight on MultiFamily Special Section The Walter R. Cohn, Esq. Memorial EXPO Exhibitor Listing Columns President’s Message Legal...

Scroll other News & Views Posts.