Every state has down payment or homeownership assistance programs; some states have both. The programs are designed to provide affordable housing opportunities to homebuyers who might not ordinarily be able to afford a house.
Each program can have their own income and eligibility requirements but primarily the programs are available for first-time homebuyers or low-income families.
Keep in mind if you had no ownership in a principal residence in the previous 3 years, you are also considered a first-time homebuyer even if you owned a home prior to that 3-year period.
The programs are not usually administered directly through the State. Instead, they are nonprofit based and handled through a third party agency. The list below will start you on your search but be sure to confirm the program is currently available.
(Source: HUD.gov)
Statewide and Regional Programs
New Jersey Housing & Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA)
New Jersey State Division of Housing and Community Resources (DCHR) – affordable housing resources
New Jersey Housing Resource Center
New Jersey resources on housing
New Jersey affiliates of Habitat for Humanity – through volunteer labor, builds and rehabilitates houses for families in need
US Department of Agriculture Rural Housing – homebuyer programs in rural communities
New Jersey Association of REALTORS – Housing Opportunity Resource Guide
Homeowner education programs – learn how to purchase and maintain a home of your own
Housing counseling
Community contacts – find out if your community offers homeownership assistance
Programs by City/Town
Atlantic County
Office of Community Development
1301 Bacharach Boulevard, Room 505
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 347-5373
Bergen County
Community Development
Home Ownership Center
One Bergen County Plaza, 4th Floor
Hackensack, NJ 07601
(201) 336-7200 – Office
(201) 336-7248 – Fax
Burlington County
1st Time Homebuyer’s Program
Human Services Facilities
795 Woodlane Road
West Hampton, NJ 08060
(609) 265-5072
Camden County
Bureau of Grants Management
City Hall – Room 213
Camden, NJ 08101
(856) 968-6423
Department of Community Development
520 Market Street
Camden, NJ 08102
(856) 757-6656
Housing & Economic Opportunities (HEO) of South Jersey
(856) 858-0303
Cumberland County
Tri-County Community Action Agency
110 Cohansey Street
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 451-6330
Essex County
East Orange Department of Neighborhood Housing & Revitalization
44 City Hall Plaza
East Orange, NJ 07019
(973) 266-5143
Community Urban Renewal Enterprises (CURE)
(201) 217-0855
Essex County Division of Housing and Community Development
120 Fairview Avenue
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009
(973) 655-0200
J.P. Affordable Housing
(201) 217-0855
Metropolitan Ecumenical Ministries/CDC
(973) 481-6650
Unified Vailsburg Services Organization (UVSO)
40 Richelieu Terrace
Newark, NJ 07106
(973) 374-2000, ext. 12
Gloucester
Department of Economic Development
Division of Housing & Community Development
Budd Boulevard Complex
Woodbury, NJ 08096
(856) 384-6970
Tri-County Community Action Agency
110 Cohansey Street
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 451-6330
Hudson County
Housing Resource Center
574 Newark Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07306
(201) 795-5615
Division of Community Development
Brennan Courthouse
583 Newark Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07306
(201)795-6186
Jersey City Division of Community Development
30 Montgomery Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(201) 547-6910
Mercer County
Housing & Community Development
McDade Administration Building
640 South Broad Street
Trenton, NJ 08650
(609) 989-6959
Trenton City Home Corporation, Inc.
319 East State Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
(609) 989-3504
Middlesex County
Department of Housing & Community Development
100 Bayard Street, 2nd Floor
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 745-3519
Housing Development Corporation
Homebuyer Soft Costs Assistance Loan Program
One Olive Street
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861
(732) 826-1519
New Brunswick Office of Community Development
12 Church Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 745-5120
Monmouth County
Asbury Park Community Development Program
Homebuyers Assistance Program
One Municipal Complex
Asbury Park, NJ 07712
(732) 502-5730
Long Branch Community Assistance Program
Office of Community & Economic Development
344 Broadway
Long Branch, NJ 07740
(732) 571-5688
Monmouth County Community Development
First Time Homebuyers Program
Hall of Records Annex
One East Main Street
Freehold, NJ 07728
(732) 431-7490
Morris County
The Housing Partnership for Morris County
Two East Blackwell Street, Suite 29
Dover, NJ 07801
(973) 659-9222
Ocean County
Department of Planning
129 Hooper Avenue
Toms River, NJ 08754
(732) 244-5333
Ocean Community Economic Action Now, Inc. (O.C.E.A.N.)
22 Hyers Street
Toms River, NJ 08754-0129
(732) 244-2351
Passaic County
Passaic Affordable Housing Corporation
333 Passaic Street
Passaic, NJ 07055
Contact: Sonia Alcantara, Assistant Director
(973) 365-1873
Paterson Department of Community Development Housing Division
125 Ellison Street, 3rd Floor
Paterson, NJ 07505
(973) 321-1214
Salem County
Tri-County Community Action Agency
110 Cohansey Street
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 451-6330
Somerset County
Central Jersey Housing Resource Center, Inc.
600 First Avenue
Raritan, NJ 08869
(908) 704-8901
CDC Properties
630 Franklin Boulevard
Somerset, NJ 08876
(732) 247-0444
Union County
Department of Economic Development
Division of Community Development
Administration Building
Elizabeth, NJ 07207
(908) 527-4057
Elizabeth Home Improvement Program
50 Winfield Scott Plaza
Elizabeth, NJ 07201
(908) 352-8450
