Resources for Renters
The New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (DCR) is charged with preventing and eliminating discrimination in the State of New Jersey by enforcing the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD). The LAD prohibits discrimination, bias-based harassment, and retaliation in employment, housing, and places of public accommodation.
The LAD prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, national origin, religion, gender, disability, family status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and source of lawful income to be used for rental or mortgage payments, including, but not limited to, subsidies or vouchers provided by federal, state, or local rental-assistance programs like Section 8, SRAP (State Rental Assistance Programs), and TRA (temporary rental assistance). The law also prohibits any housing advertisement or listing that expresses, directly or indirectly, any such limitation or discrimination.
To find out more or to file a complaint, please visit njcivilrights.gov or call 973-648-2700.
DCR regularly releases fact sheets with information about protections under the LAD.
- Protections regarding source of lawful income
- Protections regarding gender identity or expression
- Protections regarding emotional support animals
For more information on your rights as a tenant in New Jersey, see the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Landlord-Tenant Information page.
Helpful Links
- New Jersey Housing Resource Center (NJHRC)
http://www.njhrc.gov - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'s Resources for Rental Help in NJ
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/states/new_jersey/renting - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'s New Jersey Rental Assistance Programs
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/states/new_jersey/renting/assistanceprograms - United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Rural Development Rental Programs
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/HMF_MFH.html
Supportive Housing Connection (SHC) Resources
- Supportive Housing Connection Program Overview (116k PDF)
- Supportive Housing Connection Policies and Procedures (323k PDF)
- Supportive Housing Connection Landlord FAQ (116k PDF)
- Supportive Housing Connection Tenant FAQ (116k PDF)
Looking for SHC Training Materials - Videos and Documents? Visit the SHC Training Materials page.