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Permanent Affordability Commitment Together: PACT
Resources for Residents
PACT will keep homes permanently affordable and preserve resident rights and protections. These protections are stronger than in the traditional Section 8 program.
- Rent will continue to be 30% of adjusted gross household income.*
*Exceptions may apply to households who pay flat rent; are current tenant-based Section 8 participants; are a mixed family as defined by HUD; or who signed a non-public housing over-income lease. - Residents will continue to have the right to organize.
- Resident Associations will continue to receive funding after conversion.
- All residents will have the right to renew their lease.
- No one will be re-screened before signing a new lease.
- Residents will be able to add people to their household composition.
- All authorized household members will continue to have succession rights.
- Residents will be able to have grievance hearings.
- Residents will have the right to apply for job opportunities associated with the project.
Resources and Materials
Frequently Asked Questions About PACT
How will rent be determined? Will my rent increase?
Following the transition to Project-Based Section 8, rent will continue to be set at 30% of adjusted gross household income. You will continue to benefit from income adjustments, including medical and childcare expense deductions, and you will not need to pay a new security deposit. Any changes to your household composition (for example, if you add family members) can change your portion of the rent, but it will always be set to 30% of the household income.**Exceptions may apply to households who pay flat rent; are current tenant-based Section 8 participants; are a mixed family as defined by HUD; or who signed a non-public housing over-income lease.
Will I need to move or relocate during construction?
In many cases, depending on the severity of repairs needed or due to health concerns, you may be required to temporarily move to another apartment within your development or at one nearby while repairs are completed. Timing varies based on the conditions in each development. In some cases, residents may remain in their homes during the renovation process.
As soon as the construction is completed, you will have a right to return to your home. Prior to moving, you will be provided with a temporary move agreement outlining your right to return to your original apartment, protecting you from moving costs and any out-of-pocket expenses, and ensuring that all packing and moving expenses will be fully covered.
Will I be required to move to a larger or smaller apartment?
In the Project-Based Section 8 program, NYCHA's Leased Housing Department will determine if households are over-crowded or over-housed based on the number of people listed in your household composition. If your household does not meet occupancy standards, meaning that there are too many people or too many bedrooms for your household size, you will need to move to an appropriate-sized unit when one becomes available.
Will I be evicted? What if I have rent arrears?
The PACT program, in accordance with Federal rules and regulations, provides strong anti-displacement protections for residents. Prior to the conversion to Project-Based Section 8, all authorized residents will be offered a new lease – regardless of whether they owe back rent. NYCHA requires our PACT partners to work with on-site social service coordinators to conduct proactive outreach to help connect families with resources, such as accessing public benefits or setting up payment installment plans. PACT partners must make every effort to avoid bringing a lease issue to Housing Court, and NYCHA closely monitors these outreach efforts.
What if I need to add people or pets onto my lease?
You will be able to add people to your household composition at any time, and their income will be factored into the rent calculation. All PACT partners will adopt NYCHA's pet policy as a minimum standard, and pets registered with NYCHA prior to conversion will be allowed to remain as long as the owner continues to follow the pet policy.
Transferring from One PACT Development to Another
Beginning April 1, 2025, current PACT residents will have the ability to request a transfer to another PACT development; PACT residents can use NYCHA's Self-Service Portal to be placed on the "Inter PACT Transfer" wait list. Transfers will only be granted for the following transfer categories: court action, intimidated victim, intimidated witness, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) victims, 24-hour life-threatening Housing Quality Standards violations, fire, natural disaster, and reasonable accommodation. Residents are unable to select a specific PACT development or borough when their request. Once the request is submitted, residents will be called from the Inter PACT Transfer wait list based on request date once an apartment is available (NYCHA cannot predict how long it will take for a resident to be reached on the Inter PACT Transfer wait list)
Inter PACT Transfers Frequently Asked Questions for PACT Residents
English | Español | 繁體 / 简体 | Русский
PACT Residential Lease
As part of the PACT conversion process, NYCHA residents will sign a PACT Resident Lease in order to convert to the Project-Based Section 8 program through PACT. A sample of the PACT Resident Lease is linked below. This is a sample lease. Please do not sign it. In addition to the lease itself, there are riders and notices you will also need to sign. Samples of those riders and notices are linked below. These are samples. Please do not sign them.
This PACT lease was developed by NYCHA and has been informed by the residents, advocates and stakeholders. It has also been reviewed by Legal Aid Society, an independent legal services organization. This lease cannot be changed without NYCHA's approval. The PACT Resident Lease is available in the following languages, please click the hyperlink to read the lease in that language.
English | Español | 中文 (繁體/ | 简体) | Русский | Haitian Creole
PACT Riders and Notices
HUD Project-Based Voucher Tenancy Addendum
HUD requires this rider be part of the PACT lease. It has two parts:
Part A: Includes information about the household, unit, household members, term of the lease, rent owed to the property manager, initial HAP payment amount, and utility responsibilities. Part B: Details requirements for the household and the landlord under the Project-Based Section 8 program.
English | Español | 中文 | Русский
HUD Project-Based Voucher Statement of Family Responsibility
HUD requires that each household sign a Project-Based Voucher Statement of Family Responsibility document when signing their Project-Based Voucher lease. This document lists the household's obligations under the Project-Based Section 8 program.
English | Español | 中文 | Русский
PACT Residential Lease Rider
This rider states that if a household is not in an appropriately-sized apartment (meaning that they are in an apartment that is too big or too small for their household) and there is an appropriately-sized apartment available in their development, they will be required to move to the appropriately-sized apartment in their development. Households will not be required to move outside of their development.
English | Español
PACT Appliance Agreement and Instructions
If a household has an air conditioner, washing machine, dishwasher, or freezer that they've installed with NYCHA's permission, they will need to sign this agreement to have it continue being an authorized appliance after the PACT conversion.
English | Español
PACT House Rules
House Rules are not attached here because they will be specific to your development. House Rules will be drafted collectively by your PACT Partner with your Tenant Association and must be approved by NYCHA. There will not be fees or charges in the House Rules that are greater than fees or charges for the same services under NYCHA public housing.