Housing Services

Safe and Affordable Housing for All

Our Housing Programs enable low and moderate-income households to access heating and cooling services and improve energy efficiency, and individuals and families to maintain safe, affordable residences

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Our Housing Goals

Individuals and families rent/purchase and maintain safe, affordable residences.

Low & moderate-income households receive assistance with their gas and electric bills for their heating and cooling needs.

Elderly, handicapped, and low-income individuals and families improve their heating system efficiency and conserve energy.

Our Housing Services

Housing Coalition of Central Jersey

Middlesex County residents receive housing services to ensure they maintain safe, affordable residences. They increases first-time homeownership, avoid foreclosures, resolve landlord-tenant disputes, avoid tenant housing discrimination, and secure stable tenant residences. HCCJ is a HUD-certified housing counseling program.

Some services provided by the Housing Coalition include:

  • Homebuyer Education & Counseling & Fair Housing Counseling
    Low and moderate-income households receive counseling on becoming first-time homebuyers. They are partnered with local lenders who help them save toward a down payment and closing costs. They are also partnered with the American Dream Down Payment Initiative (ADDI) program, which assists homebuyers in 23 Middlesex County municipalities.
  • Mortgage Counseling, Mortgage Assistance & Foreclosure Mediation
    Homeowners faced with mortgage delinquency and default receive counseling to determine the reasons for delinquency and can explore options to avoid foreclosure. This includes mortgage modification, mortgage assistance, and asset preservation.
  • Landlord-Tenant Mediation
    Landlords and tenants are informed of their rights and responsibilities. Tenants who are summoned to court receive assistance with state, county, or local intervention.
  • Housing Discrimination Prevention
    Victims of housing discrimination receive support in complaint investigation, advocacy (when appropriate), case preparation, and filing with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), New Jersey Division of Civil Rights, or with private attorneys.
  • Homelessness Prevention
    Families and individuals who are housed in inadequate conditions, are at risk of eviction or foreclosure, or are homeless receive the appropriate support. They receive assistance while considering options, completing applications for subsidized housing, and locating financial resources for rent, security, and utility deposits.
Enroll In Program

Days & Hours
M-F, 9–5pm

Gloria Melendez

Assistant Senior Director

gmelendez@prab.org
(732) 832-7535 x 154

Related Posts

Home Energy Assistance Programs (HEA)

HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE SEASON STARTS ON OCTOBER 1 AND ENDS ON JUNE 30

Eligible Middlesex County households receive benefits toward lowering their energy costs, based upon their energy burden and their annual income. Each year, the Home Energy Assistance season runs from October 1 to June 30. The current programs are the:

  • Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) / Universal Service Fund (USF)
    Eligible low-income Middlesex County households receive a LIHEAP benefit toward lowering their heating and electric bills. Those who have a medical need may also receive a cooling assistance benefit toward during the summer months. Through USF, households may also receive monthly credits on gas or electric utility bills based upon their energy burden.
  • Payment Assistance for Gas and Electric (PAGE)
    Those who are struggling to pay their utilities and are over the low-income threshold for the LIHEAP/USF programs may qualify for PAGE. The maximum Payment Assistance grant is $750, depending on the balance owed.

EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE SEASON GOES FROM MID-MARCH THROUGH JUNE 30
Each year, from mid March through June 30, clients with utility bill balances of at least $300 are eligible to receive emergency assistance. We process emergency applications in the order they are received, so submit your emergency application as quickly as possible. If you currently have a shut-off notice, please submit it to receive additional assistance.

Once you have applied for emergency assistance, immediately contact your utility company’s collection department and advise them that you have applied for home energy assistance through PRAB. This will protect your account from being shut off for up to 90 days.

CONTACT US

Enroll In Program

Days & Hours
M-F 9-5pm

Saquette Neal

Manager

hea@prab.org
(732) 832-7535 x181

Related Posts

Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)

Eligible Middlesex County households are visited by our professionally trained energy auditor, who uses advanced diagnostic equipment to perform computerized energy audits on residential homes, as well as health and safety tests. In the process, we maximize and determine the most appropriate cost–effective, efficiency measures for the homes. Households ultimately alleviate their heavy energy burden, and experience savings toward becoming self-sufficient.

Households receive the following WAP services, based on the specific assessments and health and safety tests conducted in the homes:

  • Repair, caulk, and weather-strip windows and doors
  • Wrap hot water tanks and pipes with insulation
  • Stop drafts by sealing areas of air infiltration
  • Install low flow showerheads and faucet aerators
  • Clean, tune, and make minor repairs to heating systems
  • Test heating units and appliances for combustion safety, carbon monoxide, and gas leaks
  • Assess moisture damage, check electrical system safety
  • Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
  • Make major repairs or replace heating and cooling systems
  • Insulate attics, walls, and floors
  • Replace light bulbs with high efficient LED

Provide instruction on simple techniques that may help save household energy bills

Enroll In Program

Days & Hours
M-F 9:00am–5:00pm

Haydee Segura

Manager

hsegura@prab.org
(732) 832-7535 x 473

Related Posts

PRAB serves everyone regardless of age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, familial status, gender, sexual orientation, or functional impairment. We also serve as a voice to ensure equity & access to community resources and benefits for all people groups and communities in Central New Jersey.

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED LINKS

Henry Gorman

Senior Director

Family & Housing Services
(732) 832-7535 x150
Hgorman@prab.org

Gloria Meléndez

Manager

Housing Services
(732) 832-7535 x 154
Gmelendez@prab.org

Haydee Segura

Manager

Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)
(732) 832-7535 x473
hsegura@prab.org

Saquette Neal

Manager

Home Energy Assistance Program (HEA)
(732) 832-7535 x181
sneal@prab.org

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