Housing Rights Initiative said it filed a complaint on July 14 alleging that Greystar properties in Long Branch, Weehawken and Jersey City discriminated against Section 8 voucher holders. The filing put those claims before the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights. Aaron Carr said, “From an enforcement standpoint, a landlord should never utter those words — we do not accept Section 8 — in a state where discrimination against voucher holders is prohibited”.
Section 8 is the federal Housing Choice Voucher program, which provides rent subsidies to very low-income families, veterans and seniors. New Jersey prohibits discrimination based on the source of lawful rent payments, including vouchers. Housing Rights Initiative said its allegations were part of more than 100 alleged civil rights violations in six states and Washington, D.C.
Aaron Carr and Section 8
Carr is the founder and executive director of Housing Rights Initiative. He tied the complaint to a direct refusal reported by the group: a leasing agent at the former management company for Ocean Gate told a potential tenant that it did not accept Section 8 affordable housing vouchers.
Housing Rights Initiative said the prospective tenant called on Jan. 15, 2026, and asked whether the property took Section 8. The group said Ocean Gate had a one-bedroom apartment for rent for more than $3,075 a month. It also said Ocean Gate was sold to Lincoln Equities in May 2025 for $113 million, Greystar no longer manages Ocean Gate, and the property’s name was changed to Light House.
Greystar and Ocean Gate
The complaint widened beyond one property. Housing Rights Initiative said the complaint covered Greystar properties in Long Branch, Weehawken and Jersey City, and that part of the Ocean Gate complex is being converted to condominiums. The organization framed the filing as part of a larger pattern, not a single call.
Greystar Worldwide LLC is based in Charleston, South Carolina. In December, Greystar agreed to pay $24 million to settle a case alleging it misled consumers about monthly rent costs. The new complaint adds another housing-law dispute while the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights reviews the allegations.
New Jersey Division of Civil Rights
For renters using Section 8 vouchers, the complaint centers on access to units in a state where discrimination over lawful payment sources is barred. New Jersey also has 34 affordable homes for every 100 extremely low-income renter households, a shortage that makes voucher acceptance a practical gatekeeper for families trying to lease.
The question now is whether the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights will treat the refusal alleged by Housing Rights Initiative as part of the broader complaint and move it into enforcement. Carr’s statement makes the group’s position plain: in New Jersey, a landlord cannot turn away a voucher holder by saying the property does not accept Section 8.
