The Housing Choice Voucher Program is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes and apartments. A family that is issued a housing choice voucher is responsible for finding a suitable housing unit of the family’s choice where the owner agrees to rent under the program. This unit may include the family’s present residence. Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety, as determined by NYCHA. A rental subsidy is paid to the owner directly by NYCHA on behalf of the family. The family then pays 30% of household income as the difference between the contract rent approved for the owner and the amount subsidized by the program.

Section 8 income limits are based on family size. Your family may be eligble for Section 8 assistance if your family gross income is not more than the following amounts:

NYCHA will only accept Section 8 applications received from emergency applicants in the categories listed below:

1. Victims of Domestic Violence
2. Intimidated Witnesses
3. Referrals from NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS)

Section 8 applications can be obtained from any one of NYCHA's three Borough Applications Offices listed below.
NYCHA Borough Applications Offices:

Brooklyn / Staten Island: 350 Livingston Street, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 250-5900

Bronx: 1 Fordham Plaza, 5th Floor, Bronx, NY 10458
(718) 329-7859

Manhattan / Queens: 55 West 125th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10027
(212) 828-7100


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Can an individual apply to both Section 8 and Public Housing?

Yes. But the applicant can only rent in one program. If an applicant rents a Section 8 apartment or a public housing apartment, the applicant's priority status for the program that he/she was not selected for will be changed to reflect the fact that they now reside in a Section 8 or public housing apartment. A priority status change in this instance would likely mean that an applicant would not be reached on the waiting list.
Please review the Section 8 priority codes
Please review the Public Housing need-based priority codes

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Will NYCHA pay security deposits, moving expenses, broker fees, or utilities

NYCHA does not pay security deposits or moving expenses. For vouchers issued after 9/1/03, NYCHA pays broker fees only for disabled applicants or tenants as a reasonable accommodation. The tenant is responsible for paying for any utilities not included in the rent according to the lease.

NYCHA must determine that the family is eligible to participate in the Program. NYCHA then issues a housing choice voucher to the family; if one is available.

Soon after their applications are certified for Section 8 eligibility, and a voucher is available for them, families will receive a notice from the Leased Housing Department advising them that they must attend a briefing where the voucher is issued. The Department of Housing Applications must be immediately notified if there are any mailing address changes before the briefing notice is received.

NYCHA does not provide Section 8 apartments. It is the applicants' responsibility to find their own apartment within six months of the issuance of the voucher. The apartment must meet Federal Housing Quality Standards (HQS). NYCHA does provide on its website, a listing of Available Apartments by Borough. It is the responsibility of the applicant to verify the availability of the listed apartment(s).

Assuming funds are available; applications are processed by priority first, and then by date received. Each Borough Applications Office and Section 8 Rental Team, schedule applications within their boroughs. Due to the uncertainty of how many emergency priority applications come in at one time, and the number of applications that can be processed at any time, it is impossible to predict when an application will be reviewed.

Assuming funds are available, waiting times for the issuance of a voucher vary in each borough where the application is certified. Generally, the wait for emergency priorities is shorter than for non-emergency briefings. For both types of applications, once funding becomes available, the pace at which briefings are scheduled may also affect waiting times.

You can rent an apartment at a higher rent but NYCHA will only pay the difference between the payment standard and the portion above 30% of income. The resident has to pay the difference if the rent is higher. You can rent an apartment that is one room larger than the voucher apartment size but the rent cannot be more than 40% of the family’s adjusted gross income at the time of initial occupancy.

Yes. Section 8 voucher-holders can select housing of their choice in a neighborhood of their choice. They can also choose to move anywhere in the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, as long as there is a Section 8 Program being administered in that locality.

Section 8 transfer vouchers are active for 180 days. New rental vouchers for applicants are issued for a standard duration of 180 days, generally with no extensions.