About Section 8 Applicants Tenants Owners

Housing Quality Standards

Housing Quality Standards (HQS) are the minimum criteria each unit must meet before assistance can be paid on behalf of the family to the owner. NYCHA must perform an HQS inspection before a participant moves into a new unit, and regularly thereafter. To find out more about HQS and NYCHA standards view our HQS FAQ.

In addition to HQS, the building and units must comply with the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) for carbon monoxide and smoke alarms.

General HQS Requirements

All subsidized units must meet the following requirements under the Section 8 program:

Unit Requirements	Description
Rooms (General)	The unit must have a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and one living/sleeping room for every two family members. The sleeping area must be at least 80 square feet. The living room can be used as a sleeping room. Ceilings, walls, windows, and floors must be in good conditions and have adequate heat.
Electrical Outlets and Light Fixtures	Each room used for sleeping must have either two electrical outlets or one outlet and one permanent light fixture.
Kitchen and Bathroom	Must have a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlet installed within 6 feet of a water source in the bathroom if the building was built or renovated after 1986. For kitchens, a GFCI outlet must be installed if the building was built or renovated after 1996. Bathrooms require a permanent light fixture but an outlet is not required. The kitchen requires an outlet and permanent light fixture.
Smoke Detector/Alarm	All units must have working smoke detectors/alarms that are hard-wired with a back-up battery or have a sealed 10-year battery before December 29, 2024 on each level of the property, each level of the unit, inside and outside each bedroom/sleeping area. Smoke detectors/alarms must be installed on a ceiling or on a wall between 4 -12 inches from the ceiling, on the ceiling no less than four inches from the wall, within 21 feet of any door to a bedroom and at least 10 feet from a cooking appliance. If a Participant is hearing impaired, the alarm must be designed for hearing-impaired persons
Carbon Monoxide Detector/Alarm (CO)	Carbon monoxide detector/alarm is required in units where there is a fuel-burning appliance, fuel-burning fireplace, is served by a forced-air furnace or is adjacent to an attached garage. All units must have a carbon monoxide detector/alarm that is hard-wired with a back-up battery. CO detectors/alarms are permitted to be solely battery operated where the code that was in effect at the time of the construction did not require hardwiring. Carbon monoxide detectors/alarms must meet the NSPIRE standards and 2018 International Fire Code (IFC) Sections 915 and 1103 requirements. If a Participant is hearing impaired, the alarm must be designed for hearing-impaired persons
Windows	There must be a least one window that opens and closes in each room used for sleeping to provide ventilation and illumination. A skylight is acceptable if it is open able. Windows must also have permanently attached and adequate locks.
Window Guards	New York City Law requires that owners of multiple dwellings where children 10 years of age or younger reside to install and maintain window guards in (1) The units where those children will reside; and (2) The public spaces.
Heat and Hot Water	Each unit must have an adequate source of heat and hot water, and hot water sources must meet established minimum/maximum temperatures.

Lead Paint Disclosure

Buildings/houses in New York City built before 1978 may have paint containing lead. Owners are required to disclose the presence of lead-based paint or lead-based hazards in the unit and public spaces to the tenants. During inspection, NYCHA inspectors will check for the presence of lead-based paint.