Home Agencies

Agencies

Mine Safety and Health Administration

Mine Safety and Health Administration


What is the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)?

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is an agency of the United States Department of Labor that administers the provisions latent in the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (known as the Mine Act for short). The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) aims to enforce compliance with mandatory safety standards as a means to terminate all fatal accidents and to reduce the amount—as well as severity—of nonfatal accidents in the nation’s mines. Moreover, The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) wants to minimize all associated health hazards and promote safety protocol in these dangerous areas. 

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) carries out the provisions and mandates of the Mine Act at all mineral processing and mining operations in the United States. These entities are required to follow said regulations regardless of their number of employees, size or method of extraction. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is currently run by Joe Main (Mr. Main is the acting Assistance Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health). The entity was formed in 1977 and operates with approximately 1,000 employees. 

Brief History of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA):

In the late 19th century, the United States Congress passed the first federal statute for the means of governing mine safety. This law was a relatively modest piece of legislation that applied only to mines in the United States—the legislation established minimum ventilation requirements at all underground coal mines in the country and banned operations from employing children under the age of 12. 

Two decades later, in 1910, The United States Congress established the Bureau of Mines. This new agency, which served in the Department of the Interior, was charged with the responsibility to conduct research and reduce coal mining accidents. This agency; however, was not given inspection authority until 1941. 

A decade later, in 1952, The Federal Coal Mine Safety Act provided for annual inspections in certain underground mines and awarded the Bureau limited enforcement powers, including the authority to issue imminent danger withdrawal orders and violation notices. 

The Coal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1969 (typically referred to as the Coal Act) was the most comprehensive and stringent piece of federal legislation; passed for governing the mining industry, the act, governed over surface and underground coal mines. This piece of legislation required a bi-annual inspection of every surface coal mine in the United States and four annual inspections at every underground coal mine in the nation. Moreover, the Coal Act substantially increased federal enforcement powers in the coal industry. This piece of legislation also required monetary penalties for all practices that go against the rules latent in the Coal Act—criminal penalties are applied for willful violations. The Coal Act also instituted safety and health standards for all surface and underground mines in the nation. The legislation included specific procedure for the creation of mandatory health and safety standards and provided funds for miners who sustained injuries or contracted a medical condition as a result of negligence or willful violation of these rules. 

In 1973, through administrative action, the Secretary of the Interior, created The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) as a distinct government agency, separate from the Bureau of Mines. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) took over the safety and health enforcement functions that were formerly implemented by the Bureau. More recently, in 1977, the United States Congress passed the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, which is the piece of legislation that governs The Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) activities. This piece of legislation amended the Coal Act in various ways and consolidated all federal safety and health regulations of the industry as a whole. The act also expanded the rights of the individual miner and enhanced the protection of these employees from retaliation for exercising said rights. 

Modern Regulations Governed By The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA):

The mining industry is regulated by The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) in the United States. This agency employs roughly 1 safety inspector for every four coal mines in the nation. Underground mines are stringently inspected at least four times per year by these employees. Moreover, individual miners are free to report violations and request additional help or inspections in questionable mines. Individual miners who are concerned about their work safety may not be penalized with any threat that revolves around termination or a loss of employment. 

Those accidents or injuries that are deemed immediately reportable by The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) are:

1. A death that takes place at a mine

2. An injury to an individual at a mine which has a grave potential to precipitate or outright cause a death

3. Entrapment of a person for more than one half hour

4. An unplanned inundation of a mining area by a gas or liquid

5. An unplanned explosion or ignition of dust or gas

6. An unplanned ignition or explosion of an explosive or blasting agent

7. Unplanned fires that are not extinguished within 30 minutes of discovery

8. Unplanned collapses or roof falls at or above anchorage zones in active mines; an unplanned rib fall or roof in an active mine that impedes passage or impairs ventilation

9. A rock or coal outburst that causes a withdrawal of miners or which affects regular mining activities for more than one hour

10. The presence of unstable conditions at vulm banks, impoduments or refuse piles that require emergency action to prevent failure

11. Any damage placed on hoisting equipment in a slope or shaft which endangers individuals or which impedes with the use of equipment for more than one half hour

12. Any event at a mine which causes a bodily injury or death to a person not located at the mine at the time the event takes place. 

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) authorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to develop suggestions for mine health standards for the agency. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) may also administer medical tests or medical surveillance programs for individual miners. This authority enables The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to take chest x-rays of injured workers for the detection of black lung disease. Moreover, The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) may also conduct on-site investigations and certify personal protective equipment on mining sites. 

 

Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization

Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization


What is the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization?

Headquartered in Redondo Beach, California, The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization is an independent entity dedicated to prevented asbestos-related cancers through the delivery of educational resources and impacting legislation. Founded by Doug Larkin and Linda Reinstein in April of 2004, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization is regarded as the only asbestos victims’ organization currently functioning in the United States. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization works to implement stringent regulations for all asbestos containing materials in the nation, including children toys, manufacturing products and construction materials. 

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization seeks to provide global asbestos victims and concerned residents/citizens a shared voice to raise public awareness with regards to the dangers of asbestos exposure. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization mission includes bolstering global advocacy and advancing asbestos prevention, awareness, treatment, early detection and resources for all asbestos-related cancers, medical conditions and diseases (such as malignant mesothelioma cancer). 

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization: Goals

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization’s Goals include the following: 

• The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization aims to educate the general public and medical community with regards to all asbestos related conditions

• The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization wants to unite all asbestos victims; the organization wants to create a community for all asbestos-disease sufferers. This community creates a foundation of support for all victims of asbestos-related medical conditions.

• The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization bolsters support research to secure early detection of asbestos-related conditions. Research is the key to prevention and cure; early detection is necessary to promote prevention and convalescence efforts. 

• An ambitious goal of The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization wishes to ban the use of asbestos in the United States. 

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization has stated, several times, that it will not be influenced by outside entities or sources (such as drug companies) or law firms that are involved with the manufacturing or use of asbestos.  

 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health


What is The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)?

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is a federal agency of the United States Government responsible for making recommendations and conducting research for the prevention of work-related illnesses and injuries. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is a fundamental part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—a sub agency of the United States’ Department of Health and Human Services. 

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is a professionally diverse organization that staffs over 1,5000 people, all of whom represent a wide range of disciplines, including medicine, safety, psychology, industrial hygiene, engineering, statistics and chemistry. 

Formally signed by President Richard M. Nixon on December 29th of 1970, The Occupational Safety and Health Act was the piece of legislation responsible for creating both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) was created to help ensure healthful and safe working conditions by providing educational resources, information, research and training to the field of occupational safety and health. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) provides national leadership to impede instances of work-related injuries, disabilities, illness and deaths. The agency attempts to curb these unfortunate instances by conducting scientific research, gathering information and translating the knowledge gathered into services and products. 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH): Strategic Goals

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) implements a strategic plan for allocating resources and meeting institutional goals. In general, the agency has three goals:

• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) wants to conduct research for the reduction of work-related injuries and illnesses

• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) aims to promote healthy and safe workplaces through recommendations, capacity building and interventions

• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) aims to enhance global workplace safety and health by collaborating with international government bodies

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) goals are supported by the agency’s portfolio. This publication subcategorizes the agency’s initiatives into 8 groups, each of which represent industrial sectors. The program then further subdivides these efforts into 24 cross sections. 

Dissimilar to its brother organization (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration), The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is not a regulatory body. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) does not issue safety and health standards that are enforced under U.S. law. Rather, the agency’s authority derived from the Occupational Safety and Health Act is to develop suggestions for health and safety standards, to develop information concerning the safe levels of exposure to toxic materials, and to conduct research on health problems and new safety practices. The agency may also conduct on-site probes to determine the toxicity levels of materials applied in workplaces. 

 

ATSDR

ATSDR


What is the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry?

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is a federal public health organization that lies within the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) focuses primarily on controlling human health risks associated with exposure to dangerous chemicals/substances. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) works intricately with other states, local and federal bodies, as well as healthcare providers, local communities and tribal governments. The mission of the agency, as stated by the agency itself, is to “Serve the public through responsible public health rolls on promoting health and safe environments and prevent harmful exposure to dangerous materials.” 

Created in 195, The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) was created as a non-regulatory advisory agency by the Superfund legislation. Although The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is an independent operating unit within the Department of Health and human Services, another agency (primarily the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) will perform the bulk of the agency’s administrative functions. The director of The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) will serve as the body’s administrator. Moreover, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) utilizes a joint Office of the Director with the National center for Environmental Health.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) headquarters are currently located in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2010, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) utilized an operating budget of approximately 77 million dollars; The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has an employee base of approximately 300 people. 

Basic Overview:

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is the head agency within the United States Public Health Service with regards to the effects of dangerous substances on the human population. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is responsible for assessing the nature and presence of hazardous materials at particular Superfund sites. Moreover, the agency helps prevent or reduce further exposure or illnesses that result from asbestos exposure. 

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) functions include: health consultation regarding specific hazardous substances, health assessments of hazardous waste sites, response to emergency releases of hazardous substances, health surveillance and registries, information development and dissemination, applied research in support of public health assessments and training and education with regards to hazardous substances. Furthermore, The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) also constructs and delivers toxicological profiles for all hazardous substances that are represented on the National Priorities List site.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s (ATSDR): Goals

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) lists the following seven goals:

1. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) aims to protect the general public from an assortment of toxic and hazardous exposures.

2. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) wants to promote the creation of healthy environments throughout the United States.

3. The agency wants to advance the science of environmental public health.

4. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) supports the practice of environmental health in the United States.

5. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) wants to educate partners, the general public, and policy makers with regards to environmental health risks and the protective measures implement to curb exposure to hazardous materials.

6. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) wishes to promote environmental justice and reduce health disparities connected to environmental exposure to hazardous or toxic materials

7. The agency provides scientific and technical expertise to promote and advance the public health practice

Dissimilar to the Environmental Protection Action, The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is simply an advisory or non-regulatory governmental agency. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) conducts research on the impact of exposure to waste sites and other hazardous materials to provide recommendations and information to local and federal agencies, interested parties and the general community. That being said, The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is not involved in the cleanup of these neither dangerous areas, nor can the agency fund or provide for medical treatment to any individual who is exposed to such hazardous wastes. 

Programs Instituted by the ATSDR:

One of the primary responsibilities of The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is to conduct public health assessments and coordinate health consultations with the general public. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) conducts these assessments for all proposed or current sites on the Superfund list. (The superfund list states all heavily polluted locations that require a long-term response for the clean-up of hazardous materials.) The general purpose for these assessments is to evaluate whether contaminated substances at a site impose a significant health risk to the general population. If this occurs, The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) will issue recommendations to the residing state government to limit or halt exposure to said substances. 

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) also conducts health consultations, typically in response to requests from the Environmental Protection agency and local government bodies. These consultations examine specific health questions, including the health effects of exposure to specific chemicals. Consultations are limited in scope when compared to public health assessments. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) will also conduct health consultations and public health assessments in response to petitions filed by the general public. To conduct a health assessment and/or consultation, The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) utilizes its own scientists to provide technical assistance to local health departments. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has issued in excess of 200 public health assessments in the calendar year of 2010 and provides approximately 1,000 health consultations every year. 

When The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) investigates a dangerous site, the agency will examine health date, environmental data and information derived from community members concerning how the site affects the public’s quality of life. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) does not typically collect its own environmental data; the bulk of data is collected by partner organizations, such as the Environmental Protection Agency. Accrued environmental data offers information with regards to the amount of contamination and possible ways the public could be exposed to the chemical or hazardous substances on the site. The health data portion of the project provides information concerning rates of disease, illness and death rates in a local community. Because The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is an advisory body, conclusions rendered by its health consultations and health assessments are typically offered in the form of recommendations to the national environmental and health agencies (Environmental Protection Agency) and various state agencies. 

Another major responsibility of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) requires the agency to produce toxicological profiles for the most prolific substances found at various Superfund sites. These profiles summarize crucial studies on the chemical’s side effects. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) possesses a toxicological lab that coordinates and conducts research concerning the effects of toxic substances on human health. 

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) maintains a comprehensive registry, detailing all persons who have been exposed to specific toxic particles or substances. The list also reveals all people who have been diagnosed with particular cancers. However, participation in these registries is 100% voluntary and personal information and individual data is held private. Information on these lists is utilized by epidemiologists and other scientists to research the long-term health factors for illness. These lists also aid doctors in the diagnosis of certain health conditions. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) will use these lists to also contact registered patients or individuals to inform them of important health information. 

 

United States Consumer Product Safety Commission

United States Consumer Product Safety Commission

 


What is the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission? (CPSC)

Created in 1972, The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is an independent government agency of the United States Federal Government. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) was created through the Consumer Product Safety Act; the primary goal of the organization is to fight against unreasonable risks of pain and injuries associated with consumer products in the United States. 

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is an independent agency that does not report to any other agency or department within the federal government. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is typically headed by three commissioners who are each individually nominated by the President of the United States; once nominated, the commissioner must be confirmed by the United States Senate for a staggered seven year term. Each commissioner will set policy for The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Currently, The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has five acting commissioners. 

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is located in Bethesda, Maryland and operates with approximately 500 government employees. 

The general mission of The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is to protect the general public from unreasonable risks of death or injury from thousands of types of consumer products listed under the agency’s jurisdiction. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is committed to protecting the general public—and their families—from consumer products that pose an electrical, chemical, fire or mechanical hazard that can perpetuate diseases or cause injuries. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) works to ensure the safety of consumer products—such as cigarette lighters, power tools, cribs and household chemicals—that contribute to a large percentage of injuries and deaths associated with consumer products over the past three decades. 

Scope of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has the power to regulate the manufacture and/or sale of more than 9 different consumer products (including all-terrain vehicles, baby cribs, swimming pools and barbeque grills). The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in general, is a regulator of consumer products. A product not under jurisdiction of The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) includes those specifically named by statute or law as under the jurisdictional authority of other federal bodies. For instance, an automobile is regulated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drugs are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and guns are regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Within educational and scientific communities, there is a growing population that feels these regulatory actions have hampered effective or legitimate scientific research. 

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) fulfills its general mission by banning hazardous consumer products, researching potential dangers associated with consumer products and issuing recalls of consumer products that are already on the market. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will lean about unsafe products in a variety of ways. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) maintains a consumer website and customer hot line where consumers can report concerns with regards about unsafe products or injuries associated with consumer products. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will also operate the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System which is a network of roughly 100 hospitals, each with 24-hour emergency rooms. This networks collects data with regards to consumer product related injuries; this information is used to general national estimates. 

 

DCHA

DCHA

The District of Columbia Housing Authority, DCHA, is a division of the District of Columbia government whose mission it is to provide affordable housing to those individuals, and families with low to moderate income levels.  The DCHA is, essentially, the largest landlord in the District of Columbia, offering 8,000 apartments and townhouses on 56 locations throughout the District of Columbia, Alexandria, and Arlington.  The DCHA serves more than 20,000 people in the District of Columbia.  
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for housing through the DCHA the applicant must meet specific income and family size requirements.  When you file your application you will be asked a number of questions about certain aspects of your family including: income; past criminal history; rental history; and family composition.  The income standards for eligibility require a single family to have an income of less than $21,750 and an 8 person family to have an income of less than $41,000.  If you are eligible for DCHA housing then you will be put on a waiting list that gives priority based on need and on other characteristics.  Preference for DCHA housing is given to working families; then to the elderly and disabled.
Individuals who qualify for DCHA housing will be required to pay 30% of their gross annual salary towards rent and utilities.  For example, if a family living in DCHA housing makes $1,000 a month they will be required to pay $333 a month for rent and utilities.
Application
The application process for DCHA public housing is a long form that includes information on family composition, income, former housing locations, etc.  To download an application you should go to www.dchousing.org or go to the client placement center at:
1133 North Capitol St. NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
If you are having trouble with the application process you may reach a representative of the Client Placement Center at 202-435-3245.
DCHA Resident Support
Aside from supplying housing to low and moderate income families the DCHA also offers support for those residents of DCHA housing for job training, literacy, and parenting programs.  The following organizations work with the DCHA to help individuals meet these needs.  
1. Family Enhancement Center at Lincoln Heights (202) 724-8627
2. Park Morton Neighborhood Network Center (202)576-3113
3. Garfield Neighborhood Network Center (202) 234-3657
You can also find a list of other organizations at www.dchousing.org

THA

NYCHA

NYCHA

The NYCHA, New York City Housing Authority, has the mission of providing decent and affordable housing to individuals and families in a secure living environment for low to moderate income families within the five boroughs.  The NYCHA, not only offers housing, but also offers educational, community and recreational opportunities to residents of NYCHA housing; including job training programs.  The NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in the United States with over 175,000 apartments available for those individuals and families eligible for public housing.
Application
In order to apply for public housing assistance from the NYCHA you must request an application from the NYCHA.  You will not be able to apply for NYCHA housing online.  You can order a public assistance housing application in one of three ways.  First, you can call 718-707-7771 and request an application be sent to your home; secondly, you may fill out an application request form at www.housingauthority.nyc.gov; lastly, you can mail an application request form to one of the three customer contact centers.  These three mailing addresses are:
Bronx/Manhattan Customer Contact Center
478 East Fordham Rd. , 2nd floor
Bronx, NY 10458
Brooklyn/Staten Island Customer Contact Center
787 Atlantic Ave., 2nd floor
Brooklyn, NY 11238
Queens Customer Contact Center
90-27 Sutphin Blvd., 4th floor
Jamaica, NY 11435
Once you have received your application form from NYCHA you will be asked to enter information based on your total household income, family size and current living situation.  You will be asked to request two boroughs of choice for possible admittance into public housing through the NYCHA.  Waiting lists for housing in Manhattan and Queens are longer than those in other boroughs.  These completed applications should be mailed to:
New York City Housing Authority
P.O. Box 19205
Long Island City, NY 11101-9998
The next step after sending you completed application is to await an interview with the NYCHA to discuss your eligibility for public housing.  Waiting periods for an interview can be long and if you have not received an interview for an interview a year after you have applied you may lose your place in line.  In order to avoid this you must file a new application within 30 days of the expiration of the 1 year anniversary of filing your NYCHA application.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for housing under the NYCHA you must meet a number of requirements.  You must: 
1. meet the definition of “family” which is one of the following:
a. two or more people related by blood, marriage, domestic partnership, adoption, guardianship, or custody.
b. a single person
2. the admission will not endanger the other residents of the public housing
3. must be 18; for senior buildings at least one member of the family must be 62 or older
4. the income of your family does not exceed the income limits prescribed by the NYCHA. 
The eligibility based on family income is based on the number of members of the family and the family’s annual income.  The NYCHA prescribes that the maximum income that a single individual can make, and still be eligible for NYCHA housing is $48,000.  For families of 10 that maximum amount is $97,000.
What does NYCHA afford eligible residents?
Depending on your status you will be required to pay rent based on 30% of you gross adjusted family income; usually including gas and electricity.  

DHA

DHA

SHA

SHA

The SHA, Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey, is a statewide non-profit organization in New Jersey whose sole purpose is to help those with disabilities gain access to affordable housing in the State of New Jersey.  
Eligibility
The SHA operates with the New Jersey State Assistance program, at www.state.nj.us, in allocating affordable housing to members of the New Jersey community who cannot afford housing on their own.  In order to be eligible for public assistance from the State of New Jersey individuals must have an income of less than 30% of the area income based on family size.  This applies to 75% of applicants.  The other 25% of applicants’ annual income shall not exceed 40% of the area income based on family size.  
Assistance through the New Jersey State Assistance Program prioritizes assistance in the following way:  Individuals who are 62 years of age or older get top priority; after that the homeless have secondary priority; family assistance is third; and finally the disabled have access to the affordable housing.  
The purpose of the New Jersey State Rental Assistance Program is to help low income families attain or retain housing until there applications for Section 8 housing, through the federal Housing and Urban Development program, have been processed and receive housing vouchers through the federal government.
If you, or a family member, are disabled and are about to age out of the foster care system then you should contact the SHA to discuss relocation to a shelter, treatment home, group home, short term group home, or independent living program.  The Volunteers of America will work with you and the SHA to help find a living facility for those youth that cannot fend for themselves and, thus, help to avoid homelessness.  
When you are looking for housing because of a disability or special need the SHA recommends that you look through a number of sources including The New Jersey Housing Resource Center, Developers of Supportive Housing, Craigslist, and Social Serve.
How to Apply
To apply for support from the SHA you should call 908-931-1131 or go to their headquarters at 29 Alden St., Suite 1B, Cranford, NJ 07016.