Housing

Back to the Accessible NYC 2025 Report

City of Yes for Housing Opportunity

The City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, approved in December 2024, has made a big push for more housing in all neighborhoods and will result in more housing that is affordable and accessible city-wide. Through increasing new production, its expansion of supportive housing, reduction of parking mandates, legalization of Accessory Dwelling Units, and removal of barriers for shared housing, City of Yes will result in increased availability of accessible living options.

• Increase Construction of New Housing – Creating more new homes that will comply with current accessibility standards.
• Supportive Housing – Supportive housing often includes units designed for people with disabilities. By easing zoning restrictions, the plan encourages the construction of supportive housing near transit and essential services, enhancing accessibility and independence for residents.
• Parking Mandates – Reducing parking requirements will lower construction costs and free up space for additional new construction housing that will be accessible and adaptable for people with disabilities.
• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) – 1- and 2-family homeowners in all residential districts can now create ADUs such as basement apartments and backyard cottages. ADUs are good housing options for family members with a disability or caregivers as they provide both convenient proximity and independent spaces.
• Shared Housing – Shared housing consists of individual, independently rented rooms that share kitchen and bathroom facilities. This flexible living arrangement provides opportunities to offer a right-size level of independence for adults living with disabilities and to effectively share caregiving responsibilities across tenants living in a shared building.

Department of Housing Preservation and Development Initiatives

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) work to provide affordable housing options for a wide range of household sizes and income levels. These apartments are offered through a lottery system, where applicants are assigned a number at random that dictates the order in which they are processed. These homes are considered affordable because the rent or purchase price typically does not exceed one-third of a household's income. The process of promoting, leasing, or selling these units is managed by “marketing agents” who are hired by developers and must be approved by the relevant agency - either HPD or HDC.

HPD requires that all HPD-financed newly constructed multi-family buildings comply with the HPD Design Guidelines for New Construction. These Guidelines reference the minimal standards for accessible and adaptive features per Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Fair Housing Act, and the New York City Building Code. In some cases, programs intended to house targeted populations, such as senior housing, exceed these minimum standards. Recent years have had unprecedented numbers of new affordable housing units. In fiscal year 2024, HPD financed 14,706 units, which is more new construction affordable housing than any other year on record for New York City.

NYC Housing Connect

HPD is committed to ensuring not only the homes that go through the housing lottery are accessible, but that the housing lottery itself - NYC Housing Connect - is accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities. Since the launch of the updated Housing Connect 2.0 platform in 2020, HPD and MOPD have worked together to ensure it is compatible for screen reader users. In addition, in early 2022, HPD created and published two informational videos on how to use the new version of the housing lottery in American Sign Language (ASL), one is the Affordable Housing Guide for Applicants with Disabilities, and the other is a 2D animation video which provides an overview of the new NYC Housing Connect portal with ASL Picture-in-Picture.

Disability Set-aside Units

The affordable housing new construction projects financed by HPD and HDC are mandated by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to set aside 7% of units for applicants with disabilities:

• 5% for mobility – a mobility set-aside unit means that the floor plan is designed to be accessible to someone with a mobility disability. This could include removable under-counter cabinets, certain heights for kitchen appliances and counters, amongst other features.
• 2% for vision and hearing – A vision or hearing set-aside unit can include alarm systems that use loud tones, flashing lights or vibrations, or smart appliances with communication technology.

Since January 2022, nearly 2,000 newly constructed or newly renovated units have been made available to people with disabilities as a result of the 7% disability set-aside requirement.

People with these or other disabilities can also apply for affordable housing in the general affordable housing lottery and can request reasonable accommodations from the building owner if alterations to the unit are required.

HPD Affordable Housing Guide for Applicants with Disabilities

Released in January 2022, the Affordable Housing Guide for Applicants with Disabilities provides an overview of affordable housing and particular considerations for people with disabilities in New York City. Topics covered include an explanation of affordable housing, set-aside units for people with disabilities, the HPD housing lottery application process through NYC Housing Connect, Mitchell-Lama units and frequently asked questions. The guide is available in American sign language and 11 other languages.

Housing Ambassador Program

HPD continues to partner with more than 45 non-profit organizations in all five boroughs to help constituents with the Housing Connect application process, in-person and over the phone. Some Housing Ambassador organizations specialize in serving people with disabilities. To find a Housing Ambassador, go to Housing Ambassadors - HPD where you can find a community-based service provider that meets your language, accessibility, and location needs.

Expanded Disability Certification

The latest Marketing Handbook published in April 2025, makes it easier to qualify for an accessible unit by expanding the list of acceptable documents households can provide to prove their disability. Previously, the only way to establish eligibility for a disability set-aside unit was to submit a certification by a licensed medical professional. Now, HPD will accept certifications by licensed healthcare professionals including physical therapists as well as supervisors of community-based organizations who are familiar with the prospective candidate or member of their household with disabilities and the type of services provided to them, as well as certain other documents.

Wheelchair Lifts Added to the J-51 Certified Reasonable Cost (CRC) List

In early 2025, interior vertical wheelchair lifts and exterior vertical wheelchair lifts were added to the J-51 certified reasonable cost list of approved preservation costs. Owners of eligible existing buildings, including low-rent stabilized properties and select condos and coops, can now use this tax abatement to offset the cost of building new accessibility improvements. More information is at tax-incentives-J-51-reform.

Where We Live NYC (WWL NYC)

Where We Live NYC (WWL NYC) is an inclusive and collaborative process, led by HPD, for planning how to fight housing discrimination, confront segregation, and advance opportunity for all. The first plan, WWL NYC 2020 identified goals, strategies, and actions that the City of New York has been undertaking to advance fair housing through 2025. Among its six fair housing goals identified, Goal 5 was to create more independent living options for people with disabilities. As reported in the recent Where We Live NYC Progress Report, six of the seven action items pertaining to Goal 5 are completed or in-progress. Housing needs of people with disabilities also feature prominently among the new set of goals and action items in WWL NYC 2025, with Goal 5 focusing on expanding and improve housing options and accommodations for people with disabilities.

Aging in Place

Aging in Place is an HPD initiative to help older adults age safely in place through building-wide and apartment renovations. The Aging in Place initiative applies to buildings that receive financial assistance through an HPD Preservation Finance program. As part of developing the scope of renovations, residents receive a survey in which they can select in-unit modifications. These modification options were identified to assist older adults and people with disabilities to maintain independent, safe and comfortable lives. Although the in-unit modifications were specifically developed to address fall prevention and other mobility issues for older adults, all tenants are offered the opportunity to select the in-unit renovations. HPD also offers the opportunity for a homeowner to elect modifications for 1-4 family homes through its HomeFix program.

HPD Community Engagement

In July and August 2025, HPD presented four MOPD-hosted sessions focused on Housing Connect and the Housing Lottery and on Tenant Rights and Responsibilities: two for the general disability community and two as part of MOPD Deaf Town Halls.

HPD’s community outreach team brings information and services directly to tenants and homeowners across the five boroughs. To bring HPD’s community outreach team to your organization, contact hpdoutreach@hpd.nyc.gov.

Department of Finance Programs

The Disabled Homeowners' Exemption (DHE)

The Disabled Homeowners’ Exemption (DHE) offers a property tax reduction for disabled New Yorkers who own one-, two-, or three-family homes, condominiums, or cooperative apartments with a combined annual income of $58,399 or less. The benefit offers eligible disabled homeowners up to a 50% reduction in their home's assessed value. The property must be the applicant's primary residence, with a potential exception if you are receiving in-patient care at a residential healthcare facility. Applicants need to submit documentation of their disability, such as a disability award letter from the Social Security Administration, an award letter from the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board or U.S. Postal Service, a certificate from the New York State Commission for the Blind, or a Veterans’ Administration letter stating that they are entitled to a Veterans’ Disability Pension. All the owners must be people with disabilities, unless the home is owned by spouses or siblings, in which case only one homeowner must have a disability. 

Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE)

Eligible tenants who have a disability and live in an eligible apartment in New York City may be able to freeze their rent and prevent future rent increases with the Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE). Upon qualification for DRIE, the Department of Finance will "freeze" a tenant’s rent and issue a tax abatement credit to the landlord for most future rental increases, protecting the tenant from paying higher amounts. To qualify for DRIE, you must be at least 18 years old, the combined income of everyone living in the apartment must be $50,000 or less, and you must spend more than one-third of your monthly combined household income on rent. You must live in and be on the lease of a rent-controlled, rent-regulated, or rent-stabilized apartment, or an apartment located in a building whose mortgage was federally insured under Section 213 of the National Housing Act and is owned by a Mitchell-Lama development, limited dividend housing company, redevelopment company, Housing Development Fund Corporation (HDFC) incorporated under New York State’s Private Housing Finance Law, Battery Park City or certain former Mitchell-Lama developments. You must also have been awarded one of the following: Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI); Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI); U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs disability pension or disability compensation; United States Postal Service disability pension or disability compensation; or Disability-related Medicaid if the applicant has received either SSI or SSDI in the past.

Disabled Crime Victim / Good Samaritan Exemption Tax Benefits

The Disabled Crime Victim's Exemption provides a tax exemption for a victim of a crime who became physically disabled because of the crime. This benefit is also for someone who becomes disabled by trying to stop a person who has committed a crime; trying to prevent a crime from happening; or trying to help a law enforcement officer make an arrest. To qualify, the crime victim or Good Samaritan must be the property owner, a resident of the property or a member of the property owner’s household. Additionally, as per the statute establishing the benefit, the physical disability caused by the crime must include “a permanent physical impairment which substantially limits one or more of such individual's major life activities.”

Disabled Veterans’ Tax Benefits

The Alternative Veterans’ Exemption is available on a veteran's primary residence and allows an additional reduction in the property's assessed value to veterans who incur service-connected disabilities, equal to one-half of their service-connected disability ratings (regardless of whether such veterans served in combat zones). An applicant will need to submit U.S. Veterans’ Administration documents for service-connected disability rating to receive the disability benefits portion of the exemption.

 The Eligible Funds Veterans’ Exemption reduces the assessed value of a property purchased by a veteran with eligible funds. There is a further exemption that permits veterans who qualify for grants to purchase or to modify specially adapted houses to accommodate their serious disabilities, or the homes of their widowed spouses.

Multi-Agency Efforts to Ease Administrative Barriers to Accessing Housing

Supportive Housing

One way to improve access to housing for people with disabilities is to reduce administrative barriers to access supportive housing. Supportive housing is a proven, cost-effective approach to addressing the needs of people who have a mental illness, substance-use disorders, or have other barriers to independence. By providing tenants with permanent, rent-stabilized housing with access to social services, supportive housing reduces the need for placement in higher- cost homeless shelters, hospitals, mental-health institutions, jails, and prisons. As of June of 2025, there are over 38,000 units of supportive housing tracked in the Coordinated Assessment and Placement System (CAPS) (see section about CAPS immediately below). These units include NYC 15/15, a mayoral initiative to create 15,000 units of supportive housing over 15 years, as well as the state’s supportive housing program, Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI), which will create 20,000 units statewide.

In order to reduce administrative barriers in accessing supportive housing, DSS and NYC Health + Hospitals are working to share administrative data for supportive housing eligibility. Data sharing helps to streamline the process of housing placement. NYC released the Low Barrier Admission Policy, in collaboration with DSS, HPD and the NYC Health Department, which outlines the supportive housing application and referral process and offers guidance for housing providers on accepting supportive housing clients into their program. The guidance can be found on the NYC CoC website.

Coordinated Assessment and Placement System (CAPS)

Coordinated Entry is a requirement for all Continuums of Care (CoC) nationwide to streamline the way people move from homelessness into permanent housing, ensuring the most vulnerable are prioritized for scarce resources. It requires each CoC to look at their system as a whole, rather than program by program.

In NYC, the CoC developed the Coordinated Assessment and Placement System, or CAPS. Launched in October 2020, CAPS is a web-based system accessible to both mainstream and homeless service providers across all five boroughs. CAPS includes a coordinated assessment survey to pre-identify people with disabilities for permanent supportive housing, local and state rental subsidies and federal subsidies and housing. CAPS has regular enhancements to improve the application, determination, referral and placement processes for supportive housing in NYC. Most recently, CAPS is working to identify HPD disability set-aside units within the supportive portfolio, to make sure they are available for those clients who need them the most.

The Coordinated Entry/CAPS Committee, a committee of the CoC, is comprised of key stakeholders across NYC’s homeless and housing services. They meet regularly to review, evaluate, and refine CAPS development and expansion. 

Department of Social Services Programs

Homebase

Homebase is a homelessness prevention network with 26 locations across New York City. The program works with clients experiencing an immediate housing crisis such as an eviction or who are facing housing instability. Services include support with rental assistance assessment and application, assistance with public benefits, financial counseling, referral for legal representation and other supports based on specific needs. More information on Homebase can be found at https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/homebase.page. To find a convenient location, use the Homebase Locator .

Office of Civil Justice (OCJ)

The Office of Civil Justice (OCJ) oversees and monitors City-supported legal representation, advice and other legal assistance to New York City tenants facing eviction, harassment, disrepair and other housing-related issues. Through partnerships with contracted nonprofit legal services organizations, OCJ is implementing the City’s Universal Access to Counsel law, providing access to free legal help for tenants facing eviction cases in New York City Housing Court and NYCHA administrative proceedings. In addition to providing free eviction defense legal services, OCJ’s programs provide access to free legal assistance for tenants in a range of housing-related cases. These programs provide access to legal representation and advice to New York City tenants in individual and group collective litigation to help maintain and preserve their housing and protect against harassment, disrepair or other misconduct by unscrupulous landlords. OCJ’s legal services are free and available in every ZIP code. For help, call 311 and ask for the City’s Tenant Helpline.

DSS Housing Resource Guide

DSS has produced a housing resource guide entitled Housing Resources for People Who Are Aging or Have Disabilities to support efforts to identify appropriate housing opportunities for individuals in need. The Guide offers information for staff on eligibility requirements, the application process, and contact information for several specialized subsidies and direct placements. This tool also includes a listing of organizations that provide home modifications, as well as some important housing-related legal resources.

Rental Assistance

Special One-Time Assistance (SOTA) Program

The Special One-Time Assistance (SOTA) program pays 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 (SSI) or Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits and a rent that does not exceed 40% of the household’s current or projected income. DHS or provider staff conduct walkthroughs using a comprehensive apartment review checklist for all units within New York City and in nearby counties. Once in the program, participants can call a SOTA Hotline if they are having issues that could affect their ability to remain permanently housed or need guidance on services available in their community.

CityFHEPS

CityFHEPS is a program that provides rental assistance to individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. It is available to, among others, eligible individuals and families who reside in a DHS shelter and include a household member who receives federal disability benefits or is in receipt of Cash Assistance and has been determined to be potentially eligible for federal disability benefits based on having a documented disability. Subject to the availability of funding, the assistance is available for as long as a household continues to receive federal disability benefits and complies with program requirements such as an annual renewal, total household income not to exceed 80% AMI, etc. This program also includes a comprehensive apartment review for moves from shelter or within the community.

The CityFHEPS rent levels, which had previously been lower than Section 8 levels, are now in line with the payment standards adopted by the New York City Housing Authority as a percentage of the federally established Fair Market Rent levels.

Public Engagement Unit

Rent Freeze Team

The Public Engagement Unit (PEU) plays a crucial role in advocating for the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) programs. PEU's "Rent Freeze" team performs targeted outreach to seniors and individuals with disabilities, aiming to identify eligible New Yorkers who are not yet enrolled in the programs. Additionally, the team supports homeowners in applying for the Senior Citizen Homeowners’ Exemption (SCHE) and Disabled Homeowners’ Exemption (DHE), and has expanded its efforts in 2025 to provide focused support to homeowners with properties listed for lien sale. This includes screening, application assistance, and submission for eligible individuals. Applying for a tax exemption allows for the removal of their property from the lien sale list.

PEU remains dedicated to assisting potentially eligible individuals in applying for the programs, frequently providing step-by-step guidance throughout the process. PEU collaborates closely with its partners at the Department of Finance to ensure that applications are submitted correctly, thoroughly vetted, and approved. PEU is collaborating with the offices of elected officials, and community organizations to organize SCRIE/DRIE clinics aimed at educating community staff and community members at large on the application process, enabling them to guide others in the community on how to apply for these programs.

Tenant Helpline 

In April 2020, the City launched the Tenant Helpline to serve as a one-stop shop to inform New York City tenants about their rights and connect them to housing-related resources, including free legal services:

• Information and education on tenant rights
• Referrals for enforcement
• Landlord/tenant mediation
• Referrals to cash assistance, SNAP, Homebase
• Other resources to help tenants feel safe and secure in their homes

The Tenant Helpline is staffed by housing Specialists from PEU's Tenant Support Unit (TSU) who can triage a wide variety of calls and immediately determine whether a client will need comprehensive case management or a simple referral (to another agency or CBO). To accurately identify a client's needs and provide them with the personalized care necessary to address sensitive cases requires extensive training, and the Specialists are uniquely equipped with the skills required for these conversations.

 

Back to the Accessible NYC 2025 Report