CityFHEPS Stopped Paying Your Landlord: What Tenants Can Do
Quick answerIn New York City, as of October 2026, first find out which payment stopped and why: check ACCESS HRA or call the Rental Assistance Call Center at 718-557-1399. A missed renewal may be fixable: HRA may restore the subsidy if your renewal arrives within one year. If HRA sent a notice you disagree with, ask for the City's own review within 60 days. Keep paying your share, and get free legal help if court papers arrive.
Last checked: October 4, 2026, against HRA's CityFHEPS page, its Renewal FAQ (DSS-7z), tenant FAQ (DSS-7r, January 2026), Participant Agreement (DSS-7p), landlord FAQ (DSS-8j, January 2026) and City rule 68 RCNY 10-13.
- 718-557-1399Rental Assistance Call Center, weekdays 8 AM to 5 PM
- 1 yearwindow in which HRA may restore a subsidy after a late renewal
- 60 daysto ask for the City's review of a CityFHEPS decision
- 10 daysfrom the notice's mailing, to keep payments going during that review
- 15 business daysto appeal a hearing decision to the Commissioner
This is general information, not legal advice. The dates printed on your own notice control.
Why CityFHEPS Payments Stop
Payments stop for a short list of documented reasons, and the fix depends on which one applies. HRA publishes no figures on which is most common, so start by matching your situation to a row.
| What happened | What HRA's documents say | Who acts |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal not returned, or returned late | After a warning notice, you and your landlord get a final termination notice | Tenant: send the renewal |
| The five-year limit was reached | Five years in total, counting time on CITYFEPS, LINC, SEPS or Pathway Home. No limit if someone in the household is 60 or older, or an adult gets federal disability benefits | Tenant: return the good-cause renewal application HRA mails |
| Cash Assistance case closed or shelter allowance cut | The shelter allowance is a separate payment, made only while the Public Assistance case is active. If it goes down, you make up the difference | Tenant: fix the Cash Assistance case |
| Owner, payee or payment address changed | The landlord must tell HRA promptly and file a change form. A new owner attaches proof of ownership and a W-9 | Landlord |
| HRA was told you moved out | HRA may end payments when a household leaves the unit. Landlords must report it within 5 business days | Tenant: call HRA if it is wrong |
| Rent went up or your income fell | The subsidy does not change mid-year by itself, and rent above the maximum after year one is yours to pay | Tenant: modification request |
| HRA ended your participation for breaking program rules | You get a written decision you can challenge | Tenant: City review |
What it means: four of the seven causes are yours to fix, one is the landlord's, and two need a call or an appeal.
Source: DSS-7z; DSS-7r; HRA's landlord page and landlord FAQ; Change in Property Ownership form (DSS-85); the grounds for ending payments are in 68 RCNY 10-09, read in the City's 2021 rule amendment because the current consolidated text could not be opened.
Key pointYour landlord can receive up to three payments for one apartment: the CityFHEPS supplement, a shelter allowance from your Cash Assistance case, and your own share. Knowing which one is missing tells you which office to press.
Get the Problem in Writing
Ask your landlord, by email or text, for the facts HRA will ask you for. These questions are a suggestion, not an HRA list; the three-payment structure behind them comes from HRA's landlord page.
- Last payment. the date and amount of the last check or deposit from HRA
- Which payment is missing. the CityFHEPS supplement, the shelter allowance, or both
- Notices. a copy of anything HRA sent, since a final termination notice goes to both of you
- Changes on their side. a new owner, managing agent, payee or mailing address
- Rent ledger. a month-by-month breakdown showing your share as paid
Keep paying your own share and keep the receipts. The Participant Agreement makes you responsible for the part of the rent HRA does not pay.
Step 1: Find Out Which Renewal or Document Lapsed
ACCESS HRA and the call center are the two places HRA tells you what it is waiting for.
- ACCESS HRA site or appshows case status, recent payments, documents HRA received, documents it still needs, and your notices. A "Renew" button appears when a renewal is open.
- Rental Assistance Call Center, 718-557-1399staff answer Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, except City holidays, in most languages. The automated system runs at all hours. HRA's landlord material lists 9 AM to 5 PM.
What it means: HRA publishes no guide to what each status label means, so ask the call center "what document or renewal is holding my payment?" and write down the date, time and name.
Source: HRA's ACCESS HRA app page and CityFHEPS page.
If the answer is a missed renewal, this is the clock you are on.
- 5 months before the subsidy year endsHRA mails the renewal application
- First deadline missedHRA sends one warning notice
- Warning deadline missedHRA cannot process the renewal in time, and you and your landlord get a final termination notice
- Up to 1 year after the subsidy year endedHRA "may be able to renew or restore the subsidy"
- After 1 yearonly with a good cause reason
What it means: a termination notice for a missed renewal is not the end, but HRA's wording is "may", and it does not say whether the missed months get paid.
Source: DSS-7z, page 1.
Step 2: Escalate Through HRA
Send HRA what it is missing, through the channel that leaves a record, then tell it about the arrears.
- Missed renewalsubmit the Renewal Request on ACCESS HRA, where you get confirmation right away. Email and mail addresses, and the documents to attach, are in the CityFHEPS renewal guide.
- Income fell or rent rosefile a Modification Request through the ACCESS HRA app or by email to CityFHEPSRenewals@hra.nyc.gov. Homebase can help you fill it in.
- Cash Assistance closedcheck that case in ACCESS HRA or at 718-557-1399. Everyone in your household who is eligible for Cash Assistance must be receiving it.
- Landlord paperworktell the landlord which form HRA needs (see the landlord section below).
What it means: HRA publishes no supervisor line, priority queue or processing time for restarting payments, so the record of what you sent and when is your main tool.
Source: DSS-7z; HRA's CityFHEPS page; DSS-7p.
Watch outYou agreed to call 718-557-1399 promptly if you fall behind on rent or are served with eviction papers. The renewal form also asks whether you are behind, and warns that HRA "may not renew" if you do not say so.
If you live in the city, Homebase is the office HRA names for trouble paying rent after you are housed. Call 311 for the nearest one. Outside the city, call 718-557-1399.
If HRA Sent a Decision You Disagree With
A CityFHEPS decision is challenged through the City's own review, not a State fair hearing. OTDA's fair hearing line handles FHEPS (a separate program: see FHEPS vs CityFHEPS) and Cash Assistance; a request sent there does not stop the CityFHEPS clock.
- 1Read the noticeit names the decision, the date it was mailed, and how to appeal. HRA publishes no separate form or address.
- 2Within 10 days of mailingask for the appeal if you want payments to continue. This works only when you claim a wrong calculation or a wrong fact.
- 3Within 60 daysask for an agency review conference, a DSS administrative hearing, or both. The hearing request must be in writing.
- 4Hearingyou get at least 7 calendar days' notice, free copies of your file, and may bring a representative. Miss it, and you have 15 calendar days to give a good reason.
- 5Commissioner appealin writing, received within 15 business days after DSS sends the decision. Payments that were continued keep going until that ruling.
What it means: the 10-day clock is the one that protects the rent, and it is far shorter than the 60 days.
Source: 68 RCNY 10-13, last amended November 28, 2021.
ExampleA notice dated and mailed on October 5, 2026 gives you until October 15, 2026 to ask for the appeal and keep payments going, and until December 4, 2026 to ask for a review at all. These dates are an illustration; use the dates on your notice.
A conference request also extends the hearing deadline to 60 days after the conference. The full procedure, and how it differs from a State hearing, is in the guide to fair hearings and the CityFHEPS review.
Emergency Rent Help While You Wait
A One-Shot Deal is HRA's emergency grant for people who will lose their housing without help. HRA does not say whether it will cover arrears that are the unpaid CityFHEPS share, so apply and let HRA decide.
- Apply on ACCESS HRA or at a Benefits Access Center. An interview is required.
- You may have to show you can pay the rent going forward.
- Unless you receive SSI, you may have to repay some or all of it.
Source: HRA's Cash Assistance page. Steps, forms and timing are in the One-Shot Deal guide.
Step 3: If an Eviction Case Starts
Free legal help is available to tenants facing eviction in Housing Court, in every ZIP code and regardless of immigration status. Do not skip the court date.
- Call HRA. 718-557-1399, the same day. Reporting eviction papers is one of your program duties.
- Housing Court Answers. 718-557-1379 or 212-962-4795, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
- 311. ask for the Tenant Helpline
- Office of Civil Justice. email civiljustice@hra.nyc.gov with your name, phone number and case index number
- At your first appearance. say "I would like an attorney"
- Bring. HRA notices, proof of what you sent HRA and when, and receipts for your share
What it means: the City promises "free legal representation or advice", so ask for a lawyer early. Legal Services NYC also takes requests directly.
Source: HRA Office of Civil Justice, Legal Services for Tenants.
Watch outHRA's documents say any contract is "solely between" you and your landlord, and its renewal FAQ warns that a late renewal could put you in housing court. Do not assume the unpaid subsidy is only HRA's problem. A lawyer can tell you which defenses fit your case.
Two rules in HRA's tenant FAQ help on timing. A CityFHEPS payment issued in full by the last day of the month counts as on time, whatever the lease says. A landlord cannot win in housing court just for late fees.
What Landlords Should Know
HRA gives landlords their own channels for a missing payment, and several of the fixes sit on the landlord's side.
- Ask HRAsubmit the online inquiry form or call 718-557-1399, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
- Report changesfile DSS-85 (ownership), DSS-85a (payee) or DSS-85b (payment address) from the CityFHEPS documents page, or use CurRentNYC, the landlord portal.
- Report a court casetell HRA in writing within 5 business days of starting any legal proceeding that affects the tenancy.
- Last-resort fundthe Special Supplemental Assistance Fund pays up to $3,000 over a tenancy for unpaid rent that other programs cannot cover. It does not cover legal fees.
What it means: a tenant cannot file a payee or ownership change for you, and landlords who break program rules can be barred from City rental assistance.
Source: HRA's landlord page, landlord FAQ (DSS-8j) and fund fact sheet (DSS-14n).
A tenant does not need a renewal lease to stay on CityFHEPS. The CityFHEPS landlord requirements guide covers the rest of the landlord's obligations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still owe my share of the rent if CityFHEPS stops paying?
Yes. Keep paying it and keep receipts.
- Participant Agreement: you are responsible for the rent HRA does not pay
- Program rule: your share is due to the landlord every month
Can I be evicted if HRA owes the rent, not me?
A landlord can start a case, and HRA's own renewal FAQ says a late renewal "could" put you in housing court.
- Right away: call Housing Court Answers or the 311 Tenant Helpline for free legal help
- Same day: report the papers to HRA at 718-557-1399
What's the fastest way to reach HRA about a payment stoppage?
Call 718-557-1399 with your case number, or open ACCESS HRA. HRA publishes no faster line for tenants.
- By phone: ask what document or renewal is holding payment
- Online: look at recent payments and the documents HRA still needs
Can I request a fair hearing if my CityFHEPS was denied or terminated?
No. CityFHEPS uses a City review, and State fair hearings cover FHEPS and Cash Assistance.
- 60 days: to ask for a conference or a DSS administrative hearing
- 10 days from mailing: to keep payments going, for a calculation or fact dispute
Will HRA pay the months it missed once the subsidy is restored?
HRA has not published an answer. Its renewal FAQ says only that it "may be able to renew or restore the subsidy", so ask the call center, and ask a lawyer if a court case is open.
Your next step today: check ACCESS HRA for an open renewal or a document request, and write down what you find before you call. If you end up needing a new place, the CityFHEPS transfer guide explains the move, and you can browse apartments that take CityFHEPS.
Match your next step to the payment problem
A missing renewal document and a decision to stop assistance need different responses. Use the notice and case history to decide which guidance to read.
New York City · CityFHEPS
CityFHEPS Renewal Form (DSS-7e), Phone Number and DelaysCheck the renewal documents, submission record and follow-up checklist.
New York City · HRA assistance
How to Request a Fair Hearing in NYC When HRA Denies YouDistinguish CityFHEPS City review from a State fair hearing for FHEPS or Cash Assistance. Follow the request instructions and deadlines on your notice.
Sources for this article (18)
- CityFHEPS page (nyc.gov)
- Renewal FAQ (DSS-7z) (nyc.gov)
- tenant FAQ (DSS-7r, January 2026) (nyc.gov)
- Participant Agreement (DSS-7p) (nyc.gov)
- landlord FAQ (DSS-8j, January 2026) (nyc.gov)
- 68 RCNY 10-13 (codelibrary.amlegal.com)
- landlord page (nyc.gov)
- Change in Property Ownership form (DSS-85) (nyc.gov)
- 2021 rule amendment (nyc.gov)
- ACCESS HRA (a069-access.nyc.gov)
- ACCESS HRA app page (nyc.gov)
- Modification Request (nyc.gov)
- Homebase (nyc.gov)
- Cash Assistance page (nyc.gov)
- Legal Services for Tenants (nyc.gov)
- Legal Services NYC (legalservicesnyc.org)
- online inquiry form (nyc.gov)
- fund fact sheet (DSS-14n) (nyc.gov)
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