Families wishing to apply for the Public Housing Program are required to complete an application for housing assistance.

Applications may be made in person at the Housing Authority's administrative offices on Monday through Friday, except holidays, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Applications will be mailed to interested families upon request.

Applications are taken to compile a waiting list. Due to the demand for housing in the Housing Authority jurisdiction, the Housing Authority may take applications on an open enrollment basis, depending on the length of the waiting list.

Completed applications will be accepted for all applicants and the Housing Authority will verify the information.

The completed application will be dated and time stamped upon its return to the Housing Authority.

Persons with disabilities who require a reasonable accommodation in completing an application may call the Housing Authority at 201.868-8605 to make special arrangements. A Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) is available for the deaf.

The application process involves two phases:

Phase 1
The first phase is the initial application for housing assistance or the pre-application. The pre-application requires the family to provide limited basic information establishing any preferences to which they may be entitled. The first phase results in the family's placement on the waiting list.

Upon receipt of the family's pre-application, the Housing Authority will make a preliminary determination of eligibility. The Housing Authority will notify the family in writing of the date and time of the placement on the waiting list, and the approximate wait before housing may be offered. If the Housing Authority determines the family to be ineligible, the notice will state the reasons therefore and will offer the family the opportunity of an informal review of the determination.

The applicant may at any time report changes in their applicant status including changes in family composition, income, or preference factors. The Housing Authority will annotate the applicant's file and will update their place on the waiting list. Confirmation of the changes will be confirmed with the family in writing.

Phase 2
The second phase is the final determination of eligibility, referred to as the full application. The full application takes place when the family nears the top of the waiting list. The Housing Authority will ensure that verification of all preferences, eligibility, suitability and selection factors are current in order to determine the family's eligibility for admission into the Public Housing Program.