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Apply for Housing with NYCHA

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) provides decent and affordable housing in a safe and secure living environment  for low- and moderate-income residents throughout the five boroughs. To be considered for public housing or Section 8 housing, each applicant must complete NYCHA’s application here.

Beware of Scams - NYCHA does not charge or request a fee in connection with applying for Public Housing or Section 8 or processing a rental for Section 8. If you receive a request for payment from anyone posing as NYCHA personnel, report it to the NYC Department of Investigation’s NYCHA Inspector General at ig@nycha.nyc.gov or 212-306-3355 or the HUD Office of Inspector General at 1-800-347-3735 or www.hudoig.gov/hotline.

Eligibility for Public Housing

You may be eligible for an apartment if:

  • You meet NYCHA's definition of family, which includes:
    • Two or more persons related by blood, marriage, domestic partnership, adoption, guardianship, or court awarded custody
    • A single person
  • Your admission to a public housing development will not endanger the welfare and safety of other residents.
  • The applicant, or co-applicant, must be 18 years of age or older or an emancipated minor to be eligible for public housing.
  • At least one person in the applicant household must be a United States citizen or have eligible immigration status for the household to be eligible for the Public Housing program.
  • Your family's income does not exceed the established income limits:
Person(s) in Family Income Limits
1 $90,750
2 $103,700
3 $116,650
4 $129,600
5 $140,000
6 $150,350
7 $160,750
8 $171,100
9 $181,450
10 $191,850
11 $202,200
12 $212,550
13 $222,950
14 $233,300
15 $243,650


Senior Building Eligibility for Public Housing Applications

  • For single person households: the head of household must be at least 62: or

  • For multiple person households: Either the head of household or co-head of household must be at least 62. All other authorized permanent household members must be 62 or older.


Eligibility for Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program

Section 8 Income Limits for Applicants

You must be income-eligible at the time of voucher issuance. Below are the current income limits for Section 8 applicants:

Family Size Annual Income ($)
1 Person $56,700
2 Persons $64,800
3 Persons $72,900
4 Persons $81,000
5 Persons $87,500
6 Persons $94,000
7 Persons $100,450
8 Persons $106,950

Section 8 Application Priority Code

NYCHA has a priority system that ranks each applicant based on predetermined preference categories using the information that is given on the application.  

What are the HCV waitlist preferences? 

Preferences, in order of priority, are: 

  1. Mobility impaired and residing in inaccessible housing.
  2. Elderly persons (62 years of age and older) and persons with disabilities.
  3. All other applicants