Mayor's Public Engagement Unit311Search all NYC.gov websites
Home Support Unit
Home Support Unit
Work with the City of New York to lease your apartment
The NYC Mayor's Public Engagement Home Support Unit (HSU) works with rental owners, real estate agents, and property managers to lease vacant apartments to qualified New Yorkers receiving rental assistance.
HSU Specialists help participating owners and agents navigate the rental process by arranging viewings, assisting with leasing paperwork, and ensuring access to financial incentives for placements of qualifying tenants into stable housing. HSU can also quickly respond to and resolve payment questions as well as other issues that arise during tenancy.
Interested in leasing your apartment or room?
By leasing your vacant apartment or rooms through HSU you may be eligible for the following*:
- 15% Broker's Fee
- Unit Hold Incentive – covers one additional month's rent when the landlord agrees to accept a DSS/DHS/HRA client and not lease the unit to anyone else during a period of up to 30 days, covering anticipated vacancy expenses.
- First month of rent in full and 3 months of subsidy payments paid up front
- Security Voucher (equivalent to one month's rent)
- Access to the Special Supplemental Assistance Fund (SSAF) – covers up to $3,000 in damages and rent arrears (on top of the security voucher)
* These incentives may apply to CityFHEPS, FHEPS, and HOME TBRA apartment rentals; SOTA leases are not eligible. See below for more information about the SOTA and EHV programs. Additionally, room rentals are eligible for a 15% broker fee, a security voucher, and the SSAF only.
Interested in leasing your apartment or room?
Participating Programs
Click a topic, or press the enter key on a topic, to reveal its answer.
City Fighting Homelessness & Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS)
The City Fighting Homelessness & Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) program is a single unified rental assistance program that replaced the Living in Communities (LINC I, II, III, IV and V) program, as well as the Special Exit and Prevention Supplement (SEPS) and City Family Eviction Prevention and Exit Plan Supplements (CityFEPS) in 2018. Its goal is to simplify the process of identifying and securing permanent housing opportunities that enable New Yorkers experiencing housing insecurity to exit shelter or avoid entering shelter altogether.
Visit the CityFHEPS homepage for payment standards and to learn more.
Section 8 Programs
Section 8 subsidy programs are federally funded and offer low- and moderate-income tenants vouchers to secure housing in the open market. Households typically pay a portion of their income toward rent. Active programs in NYC include the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV), and the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH).
Learn more about each Section 8 program
Payment Standards
The Payment Standard is the maximum that CityFHEPS and Section 8 will pay for each unit. Approved rents vary based on local market rent, client/landlord utility contribution, and subsidy program. The Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) uses Exception Payment Standards.
View the DSS Payment Standards document
Visit the HPDSubsidy and Payment Standards webpage to learn more
Visit the NYCHA Subsidy and Payment Standards webpage to learn more
| Unit Type | Payment Standard |
|---|---|
| Room1 | $800 |
| SRO2 (Single-room occupancy) | $1,634 |
| Studio | $2,179 |
| 1 Bedroom | $2,218 |
| 2 Bedroom | $2,527 |
| 3 Bedroom | $3,188 |
| 4 Bedroom | $3,426 |
| 5 Bedroom | $3,940 |
The Payment Standard is the maximum that CityFHEPS and Section 8 will pay for each unit for leases that begin on or after June 1, 2022. Approved rents vary based on local market rent, client/landlord utility contribution, and subsidy program. The Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) uses Exception Payment Standards.
1: Only CityFHEPS will allow Room rentals.
2: Commercial SROs must be properly registered with HPD as Class B apartments. Only HPD Section 8 programs and CityFHEPS will allow SRO rentals.
Special One Time Assistance (SOTA)
The Special One Time Assistance (SOTA) program will pay one year of rent for eligible Department of Homeless Services (DHS) clients to move within New York City, to other New York State counties, or to another state, Puerto Rico, or Washington, D.C. SOTA can be accessed by households with recurring income from employment, Supplemental Security Income, or Social Security Disability benefits and a rent that does not exceed 40% of the household's current income. Rent payments are issued on a monthly basis.
Family Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (FHEPS)
FHEPS was created in 2017 to assist eligible NYC families with children in moving into stable housing.
Contact the Home Support Unit
If you are an owner, property manager, or broker who is interested in renting an available apartment or room, or would like additional information, please get in touch with one of the methods below and a Home Support Unit Specialist will follow up within 2 business days.
Call 212-918-8176 or fill out the form below to request assistance from an HSU Specialist.
Please note: the Home Support Unit is not a client-facing apartment locating service. If you are seeking an apartment and you have an open case with a New York City agency (DHS, HRA, Homebase, HPD), please speak directly with your case manager. Other resources include HPD and the Housing Connect lottery and NYCHA.