Donate

Rental Subsidies

COVID-19/coronavirus Update

Check with the agency administering your voucher for any changes or issues due to COVID-19/coronavirus.

As of 3/17/2020:

  • Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in NYC are administered by either HPD or NYCHA. The agency listed on your voucher is the one that should be contacted if any issues arise.
  • CityFHEPS and FHEPS vouchers in NYC are administered by HRA. HRA Offices remain open at this time. If you are having any issues with getting a renewed shopping letter or have any concerns regarding your voucher, you can first try reaching out via phone or email to your housing specialist at your shelter or the case worker at your local Homebase office. If the issue cannot be resolved over the phone or email, you can still go into an HRA Job Center. Use ACCESS HRA to access your public assistance case through your phone and to check current status of HRA in-person services.
  • If you’re experiencing issues with landlords or brokers being unwilling to accept your voucher, you can take any or all of the following steps to address Source of Income Discrimination:

 

Note: New Destiny does not administer these programs. Contact the appropriate agency listed below to apply.

CityFHEPS consolidates older NYC-funded housing subsidy programs: City Family Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFEPS), Special Exit and Prevention Supplement (SEPS), Living in Community (LINC) 1, 2, 4, and 5.

Please note that FHEPS (formerly LINC 3), and Pathway HOME (formerly LINC 6), were not affected by this consolidation.

What if I have Family Homelessness Eviction Prevention Supplement (FHEPS), Section 8, NYCHA or Project Based Section 8?
Any state funded programs like FHEPS or federal funded programs like NYCHA, Section 8 and Project Based Section 8 will not change or be converted into the new program.

Initial eligibility requirements for CityFHEPS requires that all households to:

  • Apply for Cash Assistance (CA) and all members who are eligible must be in receipt of CA without sanctions. (Please note that having an open CA case is not a requirement, but you must initiate a case).
  • Apply and accept any federal or state housing subsidy, including Section 8, if eligible
  • Be ineligible for the Family Homelessness Eviction Prevention Supplement (FHEPS)
  • Have a total gross income that does not exceed 200% of the federal poverty level

For more information on further eligibility requirements please contact a case manager at a DHS, HRA shelter or your nearest Homebase provider.

Click on the links below to learn more about the rental subsidy programs that are still current, but will be replaced effective October 29.

  • Living in Communities (LINC) – these programs are designed to provide targeted rental assistance to eligible homeless families who have been in shelter the longest and could successfully maintain housing with appropriate financial assistance and services.
  • ACS Housing Subsidy – available to families with active ACS cases where housing is the main obstacle to family unity (i.e. housing is needed to reunite with children in foster care or to prevent children from having to enter foster care) or to youth aging out of foster care in need of permanent housing.
  • Family Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (FHEPS) – available to families on public assistance with at least one minor child who are being sued for eviction.
  • City FEPS and SEPS can also help certain families and individuals who live in shelters or who are at risk of entering shelter with rent.

Please note: In NYC, it’s illegal for landlords or brokers to refuse to rent to tenants who use government housing assistance to pay rent. Click here to read about protections under NYC law regarding income discrimination.

Unfortunately, many rental subsidy programs have been cut or have closed their waiting lists.  Tenants currently receiving rental assistance from these programs can click on the links below to learn more about them.

  • NYCHA Section 8 – The waiting list has been closed since December 2009.
  • Other Section 8 Programs – HPD and HCR operate small Section 8 programs for tenants in specific circumstances. Tenants cannot apply directly to these agencies to receive a voucher.