Union County NJ Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)

Last updated: June 26, 2026

About the Union County Emergency Rental Assistance Program

Union County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) provided considerable economic relief to low- and moderate-income households at risk of homelessness or housing instability. The program assisted with rental arrears, temporary rental assistance, and utility arrears. The county-level application window closed on Monday, September 27, 2021, after which eligible households were directed to the state-administered CVERAP Phase II program.

A defining feature of the Union County program was its dual-application requirement: both landlords and tenants had to complete separate applications for a household to be eligible. Payment for approved grants was issued via Purchase Order, and physical signatures on Purchase Orders were required before a check could be issued — an administrative step that added processing time compared to fully digital disbursement systems used in some other counties.

Applicants should watch for email communications from notifications@recovernj.org and dse@docusign.net — these are the legitimate program and document-signing notification addresses used throughout the application and approval process.

CVERAP Phase II: The State Program That Followed

After the Union County ERAP application window closed, the State of New Jersey Department of Community Affairs CVERAP Phase II program opened to continue serving eligible households statewide, including Union County residents. The enrollment period began Monday, March 22, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. EST, with applications accepted until sufficient submissions were received to ensure full distribution of available funds. Apply through the NJ DCA online portal.

CVERAP Tenant Eligibility Requirements

Tenants must meet all of the following guidelines to qualify:

• COVID-19 financial hardship: Eligible for unemployment, or experienced a decrease in household income, significant costs, or financial hardship as a direct or indirect result of the pandemic.
• Risk of homelessness or housing instability.
• Income at or below 80% AMI: Household income must not exceed 80% of the area median income.
• Age and residency: Must be 18 years of age or older (or an emancipated minor) and a New Jersey resident.
• Current renter: Must currently rent a unit in New Jersey.
• No duplicate benefits: Must not already be receiving help from another rental assistance program, or must not reside in public housing, unless support does not duplicate benefits for the same assistance months.

Pro Tip

If you already received ERAP funding through Phase I and have not yet reached the maximum 12 months of total assistance, you can still apply for additional support. Your income and COVID-19 impact will need to be recertified at a minimum every three months while you continue receiving assistance — keep your income documentation current and ready to resubmit.

How Much Assistance Was Available

Eligible tenants could receive up to 12 months of emergency rental assistance to cover both past-due rent and future rent. This total included any assistance previously received under ERAP Phase I — households were not eligible for more than 12 cumulative months across all phases. Tenants who had already received some assistance but had not yet reached the 12-month maximum could apply for additional funding to close the gap.

Because eligibility was tied to ongoing income and pandemic-related hardship, recertification was required at minimum every three months for tenants continuing to receive support. This recurring check-in ensured funds remained targeted at households still experiencing qualifying hardship throughout the assistance period.

Other New Jersey Rental Assistance Resources

If you’re a Union County resident who missed the application window, or your circumstances have changed since applying, several other New Jersey resources remain relevant. The Gloucester County Emergency Rental Assistance Program and Camden County RECOVERS Rental Assistance Grant both operate under similar federal ERA frameworks and may have separate funding cycles and eligibility windows from the Union County program.

For a comprehensive view of what’s available statewide — including SRAP, the Homelessness Prevention Program, and Section 8 — visit the New Jersey rental assistance guide. Tenants currently facing eviction proceedings should also review alternatives to eviction available in New Jersey, including legal aid through Legal Services of New Jersey and negotiated payment plans, while any pending application is processed.