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After-hours emergency: (973) 555-0199
Northgate Housing Authority
ImportantThe Housing Choice Voucher waiting list opens for a lottery from November 8, 2026 to November 14, 2026. Apply online or at the main office.Details

Program

Public Housing

Safe, affordable apartments and homes owned and managed by the housing authority, with rent based on what your family can afford.
Apply for Public Housing Waiting list statusOpen

What public housing is

Public housing was created to provide decent, safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, older adults and people with disabilities. The housing authority owns the buildings, manages them, maintains them and sets the rent under rules from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Our public housing ranges from garden apartments and townhouses for families to mid-rise buildings with elevators for seniors and people with disabilities. Every home is inspected regularly under HUD’s NSPIRE standards.

Who can apply

You may be eligible if your household meets all of these:
  • Income at or below 80% of the area median income for your household size. At least 40% of the families we admit each year have incomes at or below 30% of the area median.
  • Family: one person or a group of people living together. Older adults (62+) and people with disabilities may qualify for buildings designated for them.
  • Citizenship or eligible immigration status for at least one household member. Mixed-status families can be assisted, with rent prorated.
  • Social Security numbers for household members who have them, and documents to verify income, assets and expenses.
  • Screening: we check rental history and criminal background as required by HUD and our Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP). Some convictions, and money owed to a housing authority, can affect eligibility.
See the income limits for your household size

How your rent is set

Your rent is based on your household’s income. HUD calls it the Total Tenant Payment (TTP), and it is the highest of:
30%

30% of your monthly adjusted income

10%

10% of your monthly gross income

$50

the minimum rent of $50 a month (hardship exemptions are available)

Adjusted income is your yearly income from all sources minus the deductions HUD allows:

  • $480 for each dependent (children under 18, full-time students and family members with disabilities, not the head or spouse)
  • $525 if the head, spouse or co-head is 62 or older or has a disability
  • Unreimbursed medical and disability expenses above 10% of annual income, for elderly and disabled families
  • Reasonable childcare costs that let a family member work or go to school

If you pay some utilities yourself, a utility allowance is subtracted from your TTP to get your rent. If the allowance is more than your TTP, you may receive a utility reimbursement.

Your income is reviewed every year at your annual reexamination. Report changes in income or household members between reexaminations, as your lease requires.

The flat rent option

Every year you may choose a flat rent instead of an income-based rent. The flat rent is based on the market rent for the unit and does not go up when your income does — it can be the better choice for working families with rising income.

Flat rents by unit size
Unit sizeMonthly flat rent
Studio$700
1 bedroom$910
2 bedrooms$1,120
3 bedrooms$1,330
4 bedrooms$1,540
You can switch back to income-based rent if your income drops and the flat rent becomes a hardship.

Estimate your rent

A rough estimate of the income-based rent for a household like yours, using this authority’s current deductions. It is not an offer or a decision — your actual rent is set at your eligibility interview using verified information.

Estimated Total Tenant Payment

—per month

Before any utility allowance. Estimate only.

Our developments

Unit counts by bedroom size and the number of accessible units at each development.
DevelopmentWho lives hereHomesUnit sizesAccessible units
Riverside Gardens100 River RoadFamily1201 BR: 132 BR: 493 BR: 404 BR: 184 mobility · 4 hearing/vision
Maple Court55 Maple AvenueSeniors & people with disabilities90Studio: 121 BR: 632 BR: 154 mobility · 2 hearing/vision
Liberty Village1 Liberty CircleFamily642 BR: 263 BR: 244 BR: 142 mobility · 1 hearing/vision
Scattered SitesVarious addressesFamily243 BR: 174 BR: 70 mobility · 2 hearing/vision

How to apply

  1. 1

    Check the waiting list

    Applications are accepted only while the Public Housing waiting list is open.

  2. 2

    Apply online

    Complete a pre-application in the applicant portal, or ask us for a paper application or help completing it.

  3. 3

    Wait for selection

    Applicants are selected by preference and date and time of application. Keep your contact information up to date.

  4. 4

    Eligibility interview

    Bring the documents we ask for. We verify income, assets, household members and screening.

  5. 5

    Unit offer and lease signing

    When a unit of the right size is available you receive an offer, view the unit and sign the lease.

Start an application

Need help or an accommodation to apply? Call (973) 555-0100.

Living in public housing

  • Pay rent on time each month and report changes in income or household members.
  • Complete your annual reexamination and allow scheduled inspections.
  • Adults who are not exempt complete 8 hours a month of community service or economic self-sufficiency activity.
  • Report repairs through the resident portal or by phone; emergencies are answered 24 hours a day.
  • Families may request a transfer for reasons set out in the ACOP, including reasonable accommodation and VAWA emergency transfers.

Public Housing in Northgate

Our local preferences, transfers and pet rules.

Local preferences

When the waiting list is open, applicants are selected by preference and then by date and time of application. Our Board-adopted preferences are:

  1. 1Families displaced by a declared disaster or government action
  2. 2Veterans and surviving spouses of veterans
  3. 3Families who live or work in Northgate, or have been hired to work here
  4. 4Elderly or disabled families (Maple Court only)

Transfers

We transfer residents for emergencies (a unit that is unsafe to live in, or a VAWA emergency transfer), reasonable accommodations, and when a household is over- or under-housed. Resident-requested transfers for other reasons are considered after one year of good standing. Details are in the ACOP, Chapter 12.

Policies

Public Housing / Property Management

(973) 555-0100 ext. 210 publichousing@northgateha.example.org Mon–Thu 8:30 am – 4:30 pm; Fri 8:30 am – 12:30 pm

Policies and documents