Owner Incentives

The New York City Housing Authority is offering the following rental incentives:  

• Owner Incentive Program: This program offers an incentive payment, equal to one month of contract rent, to owners who rent a unit to a new applicant, port-in, transfer, or restoration. 
• VASH Rental Bonus: The Bonus offers an incentive payment, equal to one month of contract rent, to owners who rent a unit to a VASH voucher holder that is a new applicant, port-in, transfer, or restoration.   

Please note that these incentives do not apply to the Emergency Housing Voucher Program or Project-Based rentals/transfers.   

Owner Incentive Program FAQs   

What is the Owner Incentive Program?

This incentive offers an incentive payment to owners who rent a unit to a new applicant, port-in, transfer, or restoration.   

The owner will receive an incentive payment equal to one month of contract rent for renting to NYCHA Section 8 voucher holders. The incentive will be issued after submission of the signed Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) agreement and verification that the keys have been issued to the new tenant. 

*The owner incentive does not apply to the Emergency Housing Voucher Program or Project-Based rentals/transfers.

How long will NYCHA offer incentive payments to owners?

This Owner Incentive Program will be offered until further notice. Please see below for more information about eligibility, including the deadline to request payment.

Which type of owners are eligible to participate in the Owner Incentive Program for Rentals and Transfers?

This program is available to any New York City landlord with a vacant unit, including those who never had a NYCHA Section 8 tenant. The incentive covers all tenant-based rentals and transfers. 

Becoming an owner in NYCHA’s Section 8 program is fast and easy. For more information on the benefits and process of becoming a Section 8 owner, visit on.nyc.gov/section8owners.

How much is the owner incentive payment for rentals and transfers?

The incentive payment is equal to one month of contract rent for the unit. 

For example, if the total contract rent for the unit is $2,000/month, the owner incentive payment would be $2,000.

Which type of Section 8 rentals and transfers qualify for an owner incentive payment?

The owner incentive is available for:

1. New rentals – tenants who were recently issued a Section 8 voucher and will be new Section 8 participants in NYCHA’s Section 8 program.* 
2. Restorations via transfer – tenants seeking to have their Section 8 benefits restored by transferring to a new unit. 
3. Port-in – tenants who are moving to New York City and are transferring their Section 8 assistance to NYCHA. 
4. Transfers – tenants who are currently in the Section 8 program and are transferring to a new unit. 

The owner must sign and return the Confirmation of Key Issuance form within 30 days of the approved move-in date. If NYCHA receives the Confirmation of Key Issuance form after 30 days of the approved move-in date, the rental will not be eligible for an incentive payment.  

All rentals and transfers must also comply with NYCHA’s rental/transfer process, and the unit must comply with federal Housing Quality Standards (HQS).  

*The owner incentive for Rentals and Transfers does not apply to the Emergency Housing Voucher Program or Project-Based units.

How does a Section 8 owner receive a rental incentive payment?

A completed rental packet must be submitted to NYCHA prior to the expiration of the voucher. 

If the Section 8 rental or transfer is eligible for a rental incentive payment, NYCHA will email the owner a Confirmation of Key Issuance form and a HAP contract. 

You must sign and return the HAP contract to s8.rtu@nycha.nyc.gov as soon as possible. NYCHA will review and countersign the HAP contract and issue a final move-in letter. 

You must issue the keys to the tenant, complete the Confirmation of Key Issuance form, and return the form to s8.rtu@nycha.nyc.gov within the timeframe specified on the form. 

Any HAP contract and/or Confirmation of Key Issuance forms received by NYCHA after 30 days of the approved move-in date will not be eligible for an incentive payment.

Can I complete the Confirmation of Key Issuance form before providing the tenant with the keys?

No. Do not complete the Confirmation of Key Issuance form until the keys are issued to the tenant. 

The tenant must also sign and date the Confirmation of Key Issuance form to verify they have received the keys.

I submitted a completed Confirmation of Key Issuance form; when will I receive my incentive payment?

NYCHA will issue the owner incentive payment within 60 days of receipt of the completed Confirmation of Key Issuance form. 

Owners can check the status of the owner incentive payment on the Owner Extranet: on.nyc.gov/ownerextranet.

VASH Rental Bonus FAQs  

What is the VASH Rental Bonus?  

The New York City Housing Authority is pleased to announce that for a limited time, we are offering a VASH Rental Bonus to owners who rent a unit to VASH Section 8 voucher holders. The bonus payment is equal to one month of contract rent and is in addition to the current Owner Incentive Program payment for rentals.    

What is Veteran Administration Supportive Housing (VASH)?  

Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) is a program offered through a partnership between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This program helps eligible low-income veterans and their families find and maintain permanent housing with the assistance of a Section 8 rental subsidy.  

What type of Section 8 VASH rentals qualify for the incentive payments?  

The VASH incentives are available to:  

• New rentals for applicants recently issued a VASH Section 8 voucher with NYCHA’s Section 8 program  

• Transfer rentals for existing New York City VASH Section 8 voucher holders looking to transfer from their current unit  

• Port-in rentals for VASH Section 8 voucher holders transferring to New York City  

• Port-out returns for VASH Section 8 voucher holders who transferred out of New York City and would like to transfer back  
  

How long will NYCHA offer the VASH Rental Bonus to owners?   

The VASH Rental Bonus will be available for a limited time. The VASH Rental Bonus applies to rentals, transfers, port ins, port out returns, and restorations with an effective date of January 1, 2025, and after. NYCHA will notify stakeholders when the incentive program closes.  

What type of owners are eligible to participate to receive VASH rental incentives?  

Any New York City landlord with a vacant unit will be eligible to participate.  

How much are the incentive payments for VASH rentals?  

Owners who complete rentals with VASH voucher holders in NYCHA’s Section 8 program are eligible for two rental incentives: the Owner Incentive Program (OIP) payment and a VASH Rental Bonus.  

The total incentive payment is equal to two months of contract rent:  

• The Owner Incentive Program payment is equal to one month of contract rent  

• The VASH Rental Bonus is equal to one month of contract rent  
  

For example, if the total contract rent for the unit is $3,000, the total VASH incentive payment to the owner will be $6,000 ($3,000 Owner Incentive Program Payment + $3,000 VASH Rental Bonus).  

How does a Section 8 owner receive payment for the incentives for VASH rentals?  

If the Section 8 VASH rental is eligible for the Owner Incentive Program and VASH Rental Bonus, The Confirmation of Key Issuance form will be provided with the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract 

The owner must issue the keys to the tenant, complete the Confirmation of Key Issuance form, and return it to NYCHA within 30 days of the approve move in date, indicated on the form.  

• For transfers, port-ins, port-out returns, and restorations, HAP contracts and Confirmation of Key Issuance forms should be returned to s8.rtu@nycha.nyc.gov 

• For new rentals, HAP contracts, and Confirmation of Key Issuance forms should be returned to s8.app@nycha.nyc.gov  

NYCHA will issue a combined payment for the Owner Incentive Program payment and VASH Rental Bonus. 

Can I complete the Confirmation of Key Issuance form before providing the tenant with the keys?  

No. Do not complete the Confirmation of Key Issuance form until the keys are issued to the tenant.

The tenant must also sign and date the Confirmation of Key Issuance form to verify they have received the keys.  

I submitted a completed Confirmation of Key Issuance form; when will I receive my incentive payment?  

NYCHA will issue the owner incentive payment within 60 days of receipt of the completed Confirmation of Key Issuance form.   

Owners can check the status of the owner incentive payment on the Owner Extranet: on.nyc.gov/ownerextranet.