The Housing Stability Plus (HSP) program has entered its fourth year.  While the City stopped new HSP lease signings on June 30, 2007 when it introduced the new Advantage Programs, many tenants who signed leases before the program ended are still residing in HSP apartments.  The City has announced that such tenants will have the opportunity to switch into the Advantage NY programs if they meet the eligibility guidelines.  Others may remain with the HSP program for the remainder of the five-years the HSP program was scheduled to last with no additional “step-downs” or annual subsidy declines. Click here for information on the Advantage NY Programs.  If you are interested in switching to the Advantage NY Program you should contact DHS at 212-331-4200 before August 31, 2008.

For assistance in navigating the transition from HSP to Advantage NY you may contact Lindsey Davis at the Coalition for the Homeless at 212- 776-2012 or visit the Coalition’s Crisis Intervention Program. 

Crisis Intervention Program- Walk In Clinic
Coalition for the Homeless
129 Fulton Street in downtown Manhattan
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9am-2pm or the first 50 people who arrive
Wednesday and Friday from 9am-11am or the first 30 people who arrive

All HSP tenants should be aware that even without facing a step-down, changes in their Public Assistance case could lead to changes in their HSP subsidy. 

The Housing Stability Plus subsidy consists of two pieces – the HSP supplement and the public assistance (PA) shelter allowance.  The rent responsibility of HSP tenants increases on an annual basis as the HSP supplement declines by 20% each year.  Click here for a chart detailing how the subsidy declines each year. 

Housing Stability Plus tenants should be aware, that even without step-downs, they may be responsible for a certain portion of their rent due to a decrease in the budgeted PA shelter allowance.

• Households that receive an increase in earned or unearned income may experience a decline in their PA benefits that will affect the total amount of their HSP subsidy. 
• For this reasons, households need to consider how increases in income affect their PA budgets and prepare to pay an increased portion of the rent and/or lose the entire HSP subsidy.
• For more information about how a family’s HSP may be affected with increases in income, click here.

HSP tenants should do the following to help ensure they maintain their HSP housing:

• Stay in touch with your landlord to ensure that you are aware of any changes in rent payments from PA and HSP
• Stay in touch with Public Assistance to ensure that you are aware of any changes to your PA or HSP cases
• Stay in touch with community and social service providers to help address any issues that arise with your PA or HSP budgets

For information about housing and public benefits resources in your borough, click here.

Households that cannot meet the increasing rent responsibility of HSP and face eviction may be eligible for the Family Eviction Prevention Supplement (FEPS) and other eviction prevention programs.  Please click here for eviction prevention resources in New York City. 

If you are encountering a problem with your HSP subsidy, you can also contact HousingLink via our feedback form or through our HelpLine at 646-472-0262 ext. 15.