City of Hackensack Affordable Housing

General Information on Affordable Housing

What Is Affordable Housing?

Affordable Housing is housing that is available to people of low to moderate income at a reasonable price. Affordable housing, unlike market rate housing, has affordability controls limiting the price for at least 30 years. Housing is considered “affordable” if the household pays approximately 28% or less of the household’s gross income on housing costs. Affordable housing is priced to be affordable to households earning up to 80% of the area median income for the region in which the affordable housing is located.

Who Qualifies for Affordable Housing?

In order to be eligible for affordable housing in Hackensack, a household’s income must be below the income limits for the development in which the affordable housing is located, either for very low, low or moderate levels. A moderate-income household is classified as earning between 50 percent and 80 percent of the area median income. A low-income household is classified as earning less than 50 percent of area median income. Very low-income families earn less than 30 percent of area median. Families, single person households, and seniors all qualify for affordable housing.  The application for each project will list the income limits.

Individuals interested in applying for affordable housing should contact the Administrative Agent for each project or the City’s Administrative Agent or Municipal Housing Liaison.  The Administrative Agent for the City of Hackensack is Triad Associates.  Representatives from Triad Associates may be contacted at 856-690-5749 or by contacting Susan DiBiasio via email at SDiBiasio@TriadIncorporated.com.  The Municipal Housing Liaison for the City of Hackensack is Albert H. Dib.  He may be reached by phone at 201-646-3908 or by email at adib@hackensack.org .  The Municipal Housing Liaison serves as the municipality’s primary point of contact on affordable housing issues.  The Administrative Agent for each project is listed under the Affordable Opportunities section and is the primary point of contact for each development.

Additional locations for affordable housing are listed at the New Jersey Housing Resource Center at www.njhrc.gov, a website that was established by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.  The site is an on-line, searchable database of affordable housing in the State.  The Housing Resource Center provides a listing posted by developers, landlords, and municipalities of available affordable housing.  Available units are listed with contact and application information. 

The New Jersey Guide to Affordable Housing can be found at http://www.state.nj.us/dca/divisions/codes/publications/guide.html.  The guide is a listing compiled by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Division of Codes and Standards. It lists all types of affordable housing by county. The housing units on the list have a variety of qualification requirements, including age-restricted housing and housing for the developmentally disabled.

Fair Housing and Equal Housing Opportunities

It is unlawful to discriminate against any person making application to buy or rent a home with regard to race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, familial status, disability, nationality, sex, gender identity or expression or source of lawful income used for mortgage or rental payments.

For more information on discrimination or if anyone feels they are a victim of discrimination, please contact the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights at 1-866-405-3050 or http://www.state.nj.us/lps/dcr/index.html.

Affordable Housing Opportunities in Hackensack

The following is a list of affordable housing For-Sale and For-Rent units in the City of Hackensack that are included in the City’s Housing Element and Third Round Plan:

1. Clinton Terrace Condominiums

22 affordable For Sale units located at 164 Clinton Place.

To request an application for this development, contact Triad Associates, the City’s Administrative Agent at 856-690-5749.  The units at Clinton Terrace are For Sale condominiums and are currently occupied. As units come up for sale, applicants on the waiting list are contacted.

2. 2-8 Pulaski Place and 23 Franklin Street Condominiums

2 affordable For Sale units located at 23 Franklin Street and 4 affordable units located at  2-8 Pulaski Place.

To request an application for this development, contact Heather Wei with the Housing Authority of Bergen County, the project’s Administrative Agent.  Ms. Wei may be contacted at 551-236-1006 or via email at wei@habcnj.org   The units at Pulaski Place and Franklin Street are For Sale condominiums and are currently occupied. As units come up for sale, applicants on the waiting list are contacted

3. Patrick DiZenzo Court

Applications are now being accepted to establish a new waiting list, for upcoming vacancies at Patrick DiZenzo Court, in Hackensack, NJ.  Applications can be submitted online at www.hackensackhousing.org/dizenzo-court/ .  For a paper application, please email housing@triadincorporated.com or call 856-690-5749.

Applicants must be 62 or older, or disabled.  Interested households must submit a preliminary application by January 14, 2023, to participate in the lottery drawing taking place on January 23, 2023. Preliminary Applications submitted after this date will be added to the end of the waiting list in the order they are received.

The units at Patrick DiZenzo Court are Public Housing units administered by the Hackensack Housing Authority. Units are studio and one-bedroom units. Rental amounts are based upon income.

The following is a list of two local Housing Authorities providing additional affordable housing:

1. Hackensack Housing Authority

https://hackensackhousing.org/

65 First Street

Hackensack, New Jersey 07601

201 342-4280

2. Housing Authority of Bergen County

https://habcnj.org/  

One Bergen County Plaza

2^nd Floor

Hackensack, NJ

201-336-7600

Email: info@habcnj.org 

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Who administers Hackensack’s Affordable Housing Program?

A: In accordance with the State of New Jersey Fair Housing Act, the City of Hackensack has prepared and submitted the City of Hackensack Housing Element and Fair Share Plan.  The Plan includes the City’s Affordable Housing plan for the period through 2025.   A copy of this plan is available for review at https://www.hackensack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022-01-28_-_FINAL_-_City_of_Hackensack_Amended_HEFSP_with_Appendix.pdf The plan identifies the affordable housing units currently in place and proposed affordable housing units.  The contact information for existing units is included in the Affordable Housing Opportunities in Hackensack paragraph listed above.  Information on proposed affordable housing units will be posted on this site when available. 

Q: Is there any Affordable Housing currently available in the City of Hackensack?

A: See above section on Affordable Housing Opportunities in Hackensack

Q: How can I get on a waiting list for a lottery for affordable housing in Hackensack?

A:   Individuals interested in applying for affordable housing should contact the Administrative Agent for each project listed in the above section on Affordable Housing Opportunities or the City’s Administrative Agent or Municipal Housing Liaison.  The Administrative Agent for the City of Hackensack is Triad Associates.  Representatives from Triad Associates may be contacted at 856-690-5749 or by contacting Susan DiBiasio via email at SDiBiasio@TriadIncorporated.com. 

Q: What is Hackensack doing to help ensure that more Affordable Housing is getting built?

A: The City is actively exploring several project-concepts that may result in the construction of anywhere between 20-200 new affordable units.  These are complicated projects that will take at least two years to complete. More information will be posted here when available. The city also created “Inclusionary overlay zones along northern Main Street, Johnson Avenue, Essex Street and Hudson Street which mandates that all new residential project in these areas include affordable housing units.

Q: What is Hackensack’s current obligation for the construction of new affordable units? Existing unit rehabilitation?

A:  Information on Hackensack’s current affordable housing obligation can be found in the City of Hackensack Housing Element and Fair Share Plan. A copy of this plan is available for review at https://www.hackensack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022-01-28_-_FINAL_-_City_of_Hackensack_Amended_HEFSP_with_Appendix.pdf

Q: Will there be a residency preference for Hackensack residents? Veterans? Seniors?

A: The NJ Fair Housing Act allows for Regional Housing Preferences for applicants residing or working in the Bergen-Hudson-Passaic-Sussex Region.  Residency preferences for veterans may be allowed on a project-by-project basis.  Certain developments are set aside specifically for seniors.

Q: How can I find out the latest information on the city’s affordable housing program?

A: Relevant information will be posted on this page.

Q: How can I apply for funds for rehabilitation of my unit?

A: The Bergen County Home Improvement Program (HIP) is to assist qualified low to moderate income Bergen County home and condominium owner occupants with an interest free, no monthly payment loan with improvements that upgrade the home, enhance the neighborhood, and help to maintain property values. Eligibility is based on income, financial status, family size, and the type of home improvements requested.  For Further Information call 201-336-6999 or Email GetHIP@co.bergen.nj.us  

The Bergen County Home Improvement Program (HIP) is located at One Bergen County Plaza, 4th Floor, Hackensack, NJ 07601. Their website is: https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/community-development/home-improvement-program