What Homeowners Need to Know
Need More Assistance?
A HUD certified housing counselor will review your mortgage situation and help you understand your obligations and options. They can assist you with answering questions such as, what to do if you can’t pay your mortgage, the difference between refinancing and a home equity loan, and what programs can help with home repairs. Meetings with a certified housing counselor are completely confidential and many services are free of charge, or cost a small fee. To find a Housing Counselor near you, click the button below.
Is Housing Counseling right for you? Watch this quick video to find out.
What if I Can't Pay My Utility Bills?
The moratorium on utility shut offs ended March 15th, 2022.
If you are struggling to pay your utility bills, click here to see if you are eligible for any NJ Department of Community Affairs assistance programs. You can also contact your utility company about assistance programs and payment plans. If you are unable to resolve an issue with your utility company, you should contact the Board of Public Utilities’ Customer Assistance team by filling out this online form, or by calling (800) 624-0241 and leaving a voicemail.
Emergency Rescue Mortgage Assistance Program
The Emergency Rescue Mortgage Assistance Program (ERMA) will provide up to $35,000 for:
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Mortgage arrears;
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Delinquent property taxes; and
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Other housing cost delinquencies for eligible homeowners negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
To qualify for ERMA, homeowners must:
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Be a New Jersey homeowner with a demonstrated COVID-19 related financial hardship occurring after January 20th, 2022;
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Own and occupy an eligible primary residence;
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Have an income below 150% of their Area Median Income (AMI).
For more information on eligibility visit their website here or call 855-647-7700.
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The ERMA application portal is open now. Click the button below to go to the application.
Hurricane Ida Storm Recovery
Homeowners affected by Hurricane Ida that live in Bergen, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Passaic, Somerset, or Union Counties may be eligible for assistance from FEMA.
If you have homeowners insurance, you should file a claim as soon as possible.
You can apply for assistance online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362. Click the buttons below for explanations of available assistance.
For all other counties, please visit nj.gov/ida for resources and to visit NJ's data collection portal.
COVID-19 & Residential Mortgage Relief
