N.J. Admin. Code § 10:84-1.6

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 10:84-1.6 - Standard of need

(a) P.L. 1997, c. 13 requires the Commissioner of the Department of Human Services to establish, by regulation, a standard of need and update the standard annually. In order to be in compliance with the law, New Jersey has established the standard of need in (d) below which only serves as a benchmark to assist the Legislature in determining payment levels in public assistance programs, as may be required.

(b) The standard of need is comprised of housing, food, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses.

(c) The standard of need shall be updated annually by the Division of Family Development (DFD) with the methodology used to determine the standard of need as follows:

1. Housing costs are calculated using the most current available values for that Metropolitan Statistical Area with the highest United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, 50th percentile, rental amounts for New Jersey.

2. The cost of food is based on the USDA Moderate Cost Food Plan, and reflects weighted composite families representative of the current caseload. Future updates can be revised to match a changing caseload.

3. Transportation costs are calculated using the New Jersey Transit 2 zone bus pass amount and adding an allowance for each additional family member to cover the cost of children utilizing public transportation services.

4. Miscellaneous expenses are calculated by adding the total of housing, food and transportation costs in (c)1 through 3 above and taking 15 percent of that amount. Miscellaneous expenses include clothing, paper products, baby products, cleaning supplies, household items, nonprescription items, personal hygiene items, and telephone.

(d) The standard of need is set forth in the table below. Each year, the Department of Human Services will provide, through a notice of administrative change published in the New Jersey Register, an updated standard of need.

Standard of Need
Number in Family	Monthly Standard
1	$3,047
2	$3,434
3	$4,176
4	$5,283
5	$5,671
6	$6,480
7	$6,868
8	$7,256
more than 8	add $388 each person

N.J. Admin. Code § 10:84-1.6

Administrative change, 46 N.J.R. 2368(b).

Administrative change, 46 N.J.R. 2416(a).

Administrative Change, 48 N.J.R. 137(a).

Administrative Change, 49 N.J.R. 765(b).

Administrative Change, 49 N.J.R. 3539(a).

Administrative Change, 54 N.J.R. 1081(a), effective 5/9/2022

Administrative Change, 55 N.J.R. 748(a), effective 3/21/2023

Administrative Change, 56 N.J.R. 266(a), effective 1/12/2024