FHEPS, formerly known as Family Eviction Prevention (FEPS), is a City and State-funded housing supplement to help families that are moving from homeless shelters to permanent housing or are in danger of losing their current housing by providing rental support for up to five years.

On March 17, 2021, New York State TEMPORARILY suspended a requirement for FHEPS that applicants had to show proof that their landlord had filed an eviction against them in housing court for rent payments. New York State has waived the eviction requirement from the program until January 15, 2022 when the New York State eviction moratorium ends. For more information on the temporary suspension of this requirement click here.

FHEPS applications can be filed through shelter staff or designated legal providers and community-based organizations (CBOs) in each borough. To get a referral, tenants can visit their public assistance center or Housing Court Liaison. Click here for a list of CBOs

Applications can also be filed at NYC HRA job centers that are located in each borough. Click here for a list of all job and service centers.

Click here for more information on FHEPS.

There are two types of FHEPS:
1. FHEPS (A) To Stay – For families who are still in their current home, but are at risk of getting evicted. It helps families stay in the home by paying a rent supplement each month, it also covers up to $9,000 in rent arrears (possibly more in some cases).
2. FHEPS (B) To Move – For families who are living in a Human Resources Administration (HRA) and Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelter who have been evicted within the last 12 months of entering shelter or to all other eligible families within 12 months of their eviction.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Families must include a child 18 years of age or younger (a child of 19 years of age or younger who is enrolled full-time in high school or a vocational or technical program or a pregnant woman)
• AND you must either have an active Cash Assistance (CA) case
• OR, if you are in a shelter, qualify for CA OR, if you are in a shelter, qualify for CA once you leave shelter

Families must also meet one of the following requirements:

• You are in a shelter
• You are in a DHS shelter and eligible for HRA shelter
• You are in DHS shelter and were evicted in NYC sometimes in the year before you entered shelter
• You are currently in the process of being evicted in NYC within the last 12 months

What does it mean to be in the process of getting evicted?

• An eviction proceeding against you in housing court or the person on the lease for your home
• A foreclosure action for your building or home
• A determination by a City agency that you must leave your building or home because of health and/or safety reasons

If you qualify for FHEPS, please see the chart below to see the amount you will receive. Many families will have their entire rent covered by FHEPS and their CA shelter allowance, however families may have to pay a portion of their rent. This will happen if:

• A person in the household receives CA and has income, such as from a job.
• If there is someone in the household who is not required to be on the CA case, such as someone who receives income from SSI.

FHEPS rental payments are based on Maximum Rent and not by apartment size. The rents found below are for families who are using FHEPS to move to a new apartment. The rents for families using FHEPS to stay might be lower.

Additional Fees Covered by HRA:

• First month’s rent paid in full, plus three months’ upfront
• Security voucher
• Landlords may receive a $4,300 bonus and a unit hold payment (if a landlord agrees to accept a FHEPS client and not lease the apartment to anyone else during a 30-day period)
• A 15% broker’s fee (tends to equal to 15% of one year’s rent) bonus may also be available (with a suitable Broker’s ID)

Landlords are not allowed to charge families any fees other than what is legally stated in the lease. Families should not agree to any side deals and should immediately call HRA at 311 or 929-221-0043 to share those requests.