The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is working to improve housing search outcomes for Section 8 vouchers holders. As such, NYCHA’s Leased Housing Department (LHD) has established a Housing Navigation Unit (HNU) to improve success rates for voucher holders searching for housing.

HNU will provide additional support to new voucher holders who have not yet rented an apartment using their Section 8 voucher and are at risk of their voucher expiring before they have found a suitable unit on their own.

The Housing Navigation Unit offers two housing search programs— Housing Navigation Services and the Real Estate Agent Referral List: 

• Housing Navigation Services assists qualified voucher holders with locating and renting a suitable apartment.  
• The Real Estate Agent Referral List includes licensed real estate agents/brokers who have expressed interest in working with NYCHA Section 8 voucher holders and have active New York State real estate licenses. NYCHA will pay the broker fee for any licensed real estate agent/broker who secures a rental for an eligible voucher holder in obtaining an apartment, with certain exceptions. (Please see Real Estate Agent Referral List FAQs for more information.)   

Housing Navigation Services will connect families to housing by: 

• Determining specific housing related needs of the family.  
• Maintaining a database of apartment listings provided by property owners who are looking to rent to a Section 8 voucher holder. 
• Locating available apartments. 
• Communicating directly with property owners to manage the application process, including inspections. 
• Assisting with private market applications, if needed. 
• Following up throughout the rental process to make sure it is completed as quickly as possible.  
• Providing a direct point of contact to the voucher holder and the property owner to provide any information needed. 
• Processing NYCHA-paid broker fees if there is a licensed real estate agent/broker representing the property owner

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The program will offer services to the following participants:  

• Applicants who have received a new voucher; AND 

• Have 60 days or less left until the date the voucher expires. 

Please note: Transfers, restorations, and emergency housing voucher holders DO NOT qualify for this program. 

If a new voucher holder has not initiated the rental process after 60 days of receiving their voucher, they will receive an email and text message to the email address and phone number we have in our records for the head of household.   

In the email and text message there will be a link to a website with more information about Housing Navigation Services and the Real Estate Agent Referral List, as well as instructions on how to register for ONE of the programs.  

Please note: There are a limited number of slots for the Housing Navigation Services. If Housing Navigation Services is full, the voucher holder will be contacted when a slot becomes available. We strongly encourage all voucher holders to continue with their individual housing searches if they have not yet been contacted by NYCHA staff about their acceptance into the program.   

No. Eligible Section 8 voucher holders are eligible to receive assistance in their housing search through ONE of NYCHA’s housing search programs: Housing Navigation Services OR the Real Estate Agent Referral List.  

Also, if the Housing Navigation Services is full, the voucher holder will only be allowed to register for the Real Estate Agent Referral List.

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• After reviewing the information about both programs, the voucher holder begins the process by clicking the “register” button and selecting “Housing Navigation Services.”  
• The voucher holder is directed to fill out a form to briefly tell us about their family and what they are looking for. 
• If the voucher holder is selected, Housing Navigation Services staff reaches out to the contact person indicated on the initial form to discuss more about the family’s needs and explain what to expect. 
• Housing Navigation Services staff then reaches out to the family with information about available units that fit their needs, and to find out which ones they would like to view.  
• Housing Navigation Services staff schedules the viewings and accompanies the client to the viewing. .

IMPORTANT: If a voucher holder registers for Housing Navigation Services, they will be assisted on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the date they register, so they should continue with their individual housing search if they have not yet been contacted by NYCHA staff about their acceptance into the program.   

• After reviewing the information about both programs, the voucher holder begins the process by clicking the “register” button and selecting “Real Estate Agent Referral List.” 
• The voucher holder will be directed to a list of screened licensed real estate agents/brokers who expressed interest in working with Section 8 voucher holders. 
• The voucher holder may contact any licensed real estate agent/broker on the list to make an appointment to view apartments.  
• Once an apartment is accepted, the voucher holder and property owner are responsible for submitting all required documents to complete the rental with the assistance of the licensed real estate agent/broker. 
• Once the keys have been issued to the voucher holder, the licensed real estate agent/broker must submit a completed Broker Fee Request Form and supporting documents to hnu@nycha.nyc.gov within 30 days..

The Housing Navigation Unit staff has the right to discontinue services if no units have been accepted after three available apartments have been offered. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis by a Housing Navigation Unit supervisor. If this happens, the voucher holder will be offered the list of referred licensed real estate agents/brokers to work with.

NYCHA will pay the requested broker fee directly to the licensed real estate agent’s /broker’s firm, up to a maximum of 15% of the annualized contract rent (1.8 times one month’s rent). If the client is eligible to receive HRA broker fee assistance, NYCHA will pay 15% of the annualized contract rent MINUS the amount paid by HRA. This amount is based on HRA policy, please contact HRA for more information. 

 Example: If the total contract rent for the unit is $2,000, AND:  

1. the client is NOT eligible for HRA assistance, then the MAXIMUM payment from NYCHA is $3,600, (or)
2. the client is eligible for ½ month broker fee payment from HRA, the payment would be $3600-$1000 = $2600, (or)
3. the client is eligible for a full 15% broker fee payment from HRA, the payment from NYCHA would be $3600-$3600 = $0.

This information can be found in the Broker Fee Policy FAQs Broker Fee Policy FAQs.

More information can be found on NYCHA’s Section 8 website NYCHA’s Section 8 website.