The Lakewood Township Residential Assistance Program (LTRAP) will open applications for its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program on Monday, November 2, at 9:00 AM. The application window closes Tuesday, November 10, at 11:59 PM.

Applications will be accepted online only, through ltrap.org, under Participant Information > How to Apply. Only one application per household may be submitted, and duplicates will be deleted. All applicants must be at least 18 years old.

A total of 3,000 applications will be randomly selected from all those submitted, using lottery software. LTRAP does not take part in the selection. Selected applications will be placed on the waiting list in the order they were chosen, ranked by the program’s preferences. Applications that are not selected will be discarded, and results will be posted on the LTRAP website.

Section 8 is a federal rent subsidy program that helps lower-income individuals and families afford housing in the private market, with tenants paying rent based on a percentage of their gross income. The program accepts applications from very low-income households and individuals, including single persons, disabled persons and elderly persons. Eligibility is based on income limits set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Household income must not exceed the Very Low Income limit for the family size, and 75% of all new admissions must come from extremely low-income families. The limits for Ocean County range from $49,250 for a single person to $70,300 for a family of four, and up to $137,800 for a household of 16. The full chart is shown above.

Under LTRAP’s Administrative and Annual Plans, preference goes to applicants who live, work or have been hired to work in Lakewood Township, and to disabled or handicapped single persons, elderly persons and families before single households.

Starting January 1, 2027, households with assets totaling more than $109,797, and households that own residential property suitable for family occupancy, will be ineligible.

Applicants may remain on other housing agency waiting lists while applying, since the program is independent of other housing assistance. Disabled persons may request reasonable accommodations by calling the LTRAP office at 732-367-0660 during business hours. Federal Section 8 funds are limited, and not all applicants will be assisted immediately.

LTRAP last opened its Section 8 application intake in 2022.