HASA Broker Requirements NYC: Forms, Inspection and Payment
Quick answerIn New York City, as of October 7, 2026, HRA publishes no HASA broker registration, no HASA broker form and no HASA broker fee amount. What HRA does publish: the client searches on their own, the HASA caseworker must inspect the apartment, HASA must approve the rent and the lease, the rent must fit the HASA maximum ($2,646 for a studio) with heat and hot water included, and the landlord is then paid by check twice a month.
- $2,646most rent HASA approves for a studio, all utilities included, since 9/10/2025
- 30%share of gross household income a client with income pays toward rent
- 2 checks a monthhow HASA pays the landlord once the rent and lease are approved
- 1 month's rentthe most HRA's security voucher pays on a landlord's claim
- $5,000top civil penalty for each unlawful disclosure of HIV-related information
- NoneHASA broker fee amounts or HASA broker forms published by HRA
What HRA Publishes for a HASA Placement, and What It Does Not
HRA publishes how a HASA apartment is approved and paid, and nothing on registering as a HASA broker. The rules sit in two documents, the HASA FAQ (SPSVC-18) and the rent guidelines (SPSVC-17).
| Question | What HRA publishes | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Who finds the apartment? | Clients "must conduct their own apartment search" | SPSVC-18, page 9 |
| Who inspects? | The client's caseworker, even if another entity already inspected | SPSVC-18, page 11 |
| Who approves? | "HASA" approves the rent and the lease. No unit or title is named | SPSVC-18, pages 1 and 11 |
| What rent is approved? | A maximum by household size, lower if the tenant pays utilities | SPSVC-17 |
| How is the landlord paid? | Checks twice a month | SPSVC-18, page 11 |
| Broker registration, fee amount or fee form | Nothing published for HASA | None |
| Inspection checklist, timing, first month's rent up front | Nothing published | None |
What it means: each unpublished row is a question for the caseworker, in writing, before the lease.
Source: SPSVC-18 (06/12/2026); SPSVC-17 (effective 9/10/2025); HRA's HIV/AIDS Services page and landlord and broker page. Compiled by VoucherMatch.
HRA also says its HASA rental assistance "is not CityFHEPS or voucher programs": the approval attaches to one apartment, its rent and its lease. The program is explained in what HASA is and who qualifies.
How a HASA Placement Moves, Step by Step
A HASA placement runs from the client's own search to twice-monthly checks, with the caseworker's inspection in the middle.
- 1Client, searchThe client looks for a private-market apartment. The caseworker "can provide a list of apartment brokers who have assisted HASA clients in the past."
- 2Client, before movingHRA tells clients "do not abandon your current apartment before discussing it with your Caseworker."
- 3Rent checkThe rent HASA will approve "depends on the household composition." It should include heat and hot water.
- 4Caseworker, inspectionThe caseworker "must conduct their own inspection prior to it being approved for rental assistance."
- 5HASA, approvalHASA approves the rent and the lease. Approval "will depend, in part, on an apartment inspection."
- 6HRA, securityIf the client asks for a security deposit, an HRA staff member completes a Security Voucher for the landlord to sign.
- 7HASA, paymentThe landlord, property manager or agent receives checks twice a month.
What it means: no step is a broker's to file, and HRA publishes no time for any of them.
Sources: SPSVC-18, pages 9 to 11; step 6 from HRA's Special Grant Document Guide, which covers Cash Assistance grants and does not name HASA. Diagram compiled by VoucherMatch.
The client's side of these steps is in how to apply for HASA.
Who at HASA Approves the Apartment
The client's own HASA caseworker inspects, and "HASA" approves the rent and the lease. HRA names no approving unit, supervisor title or review office.
- The caseworkereach client is assigned to a caseworker at a HASA center, and HRA says there are centers in all five boroughs (HRA)
- The inspectionrequired "whether or not a housing unit has already been inspected by another entity," so a passed Section 8 or CityFHEPS inspection does not replace it
- The standardHRA publishes no HASA inspection checklist, form or clearance step. The VoucherMatch pre-inspection checklist is a way to spot condition problems first
- New applicantsServiceLine, 400 Eighth Avenue, 2nd Floor, Manhattan, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, at 718-557-1399
Apartment and Lease Requirements
A unit qualifies when its rent is at or under the HASA maximum for the client's household, the rent includes heat and hot water, and it passes the caseworker's inspection.
- Maximum rent. $2,646 for a studio, $2,762 for one bedroom, $3,058 for two and $3,811 for three, for leases starting September 10, 2025 "through present"
- Utilities. "All Utilities Included means that the rent includes cooking, electricity, heat and hot water." If the tenant pays one, HRA subtracts its amount from the maximum
- Heat and hot water. "required in all leases except for apartments obtained through NYC Housing Connect and other NYC Housing Lotteries"
- Bedrooms. the number approved depends on "the number of individuals in the household, their relationship, age, gender and other factors"
- Over the maximum. agency discretion for "documented extenuating circumstances" only
- Tenant share. 30% of gross household income for a client with income other than Cash Assistance; nothing for a client with no income
- Lease term. HRA publishes no minimum lease term for HASA
What it means: price the unit from the HASA schedule, never the lower CityFHEPS table, and send the caseworker the proposed lease before anyone signs.
Larger sizes, utility deductions and worked examples are in how much HASA pays for rent in 2026.
The Conditions on Every HRA Broker Payment
Every HRA broker fee form read for this article makes the broker certify the same five conditions. None of the three forms names HASA, and HRA does not say which form, if any, a HASA case uses.
- Certificate of Occupancy. the broker "has verified that the actual rental unit has a current, effective Certificate of Occupancy issued by the New York City Department of Buildings." HRA-121 also accepts confirmation that the unit's use complies with local standards
- No inconsistent change. nothing has changed in the occupancy or use that conflicts with that certificate
- Violations. "No dangerous or hazardous violations are present on the premises"
- License. "The Broker has a current broker's license in good standing"
- No affiliation. "The Broker is not the owner, controlling person or an affiliate of the owner"
- HRA-121 only. "The lease or rental agreement is for one year or longer"
What it means: a unit that meets all six fits whichever form a caseworker hands over.
Source: W-147P and W-147JJ, both Rev. 4/28/11; HRA-121, 06/30/2021.
Each form warns that a false statement is a Class A misdemeanor under Penal Law section 175.30. On the license, the State says anyone who negotiates a rental for another person for a fee must be licensed under Article 12-A of the Real Property Law (Department of State). The steps are in how to become a CityFHEPS broker.
How to Check a Unit Before You Show It
Check four things before a showing: the certificate, open violations, ownership and the rent.
- Certificate of Occupancy. the Department of Buildings says a certificate "states a legal use and/or type of permitted occupancy." Search the address in the Buildings Information System, or in DOB NOW for certificates requested on or after March 1, 2021
- Older buildings. those built before 1938 need no certificate unless later altered. DOB issues a Letter of No Objection as proof of legal use
- Violations. HPD classes violations A (non-hazardous), B (hazardous) and C (immediately hazardous). Search the address on HPD Online
- Affiliation. no ownership or control link between the brokerage and the owner
- Rent. the asking rent, with tenant-paid utilities, against the HASA maximum for the client's approved size
What it means: HRA's forms say "dangerous or hazardous" without naming HPD's classes, so treat any open class B or C violation as a question to settle first.
Source: DOB, Certificate of Occupancy; HPD, penalties and fees.
Documents by Who Signs Them
Only the lease is named in HASA's own documents. The rest are HRA Cash Assistance forms and one State form, and HRA has not said which a HASA case uses.
| Document | Revision | Who completes and signs | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lease | Not an HRA form | Landlord and tenant | HASA must approve it with the rent |
| Security Voucher, W-147N | 03/22/2021 | HRA staff complete it; landlord or agent and an HRA supervisor sign. The claim on page 2 is sworn before a notary | Stands in place of a cash security deposit |
| Request for Residence Verification, W-147 | Rev. 7/5/11 | HRA worker sends it; landlord signs the reply | Confirms name on lease, date signed and monthly rent |
| Landlord/Managing Agent's Statement, W-147M | Rev. 6/2/08 | Landlord or managing agent | States the landlord is not the broker and takes no part of the fee |
| Broker's Fee Voucher, W-147P | Rev. 4/28/11 | HRA worker and supervisor, tenant, broker | Cash Assistance broker fee, redeemed after move-in |
| Broker's Statement for Fee Payment by Check, W-147JJ | Rev. 4/28/11 | Broker | Cash Assistance broker fee by check |
| Broker's Request for Enhanced Fee Payment, HRA-121 | 06/30/2021 | Broker | Fee for shelter exits and "certain other households" |
| Release of HIV-related information, DOH-2557 | 2/11 | The client | Names who may receive the client's information |
What it means: ask the caseworker which of these the case needs, since none but the lease is confirmed for HASA.
Sources: SPSVC-18; W-147N; W-147; W-147M; W-147P; W-147JJ; HRA-121; DOH-2557. Compiled by VoucherMatch.
How each broker form is filed and paid is in how brokers get paid on voucher deals.
How the Landlord Is Paid: First Rent and Security
The landlord is paid by check twice a month once HASA approves the rent and the lease. HRA publishes no first month's rent paid up front for HASA and no time to the first check.
- Base rent"Every semi-monthly period, the landlord will receive one base rent payment"
- Supplementif the client is eligible for the HASA rental subsidy, "an additional HASA supplemental payment each semimonthly period"
- Securityform W-147N states that HRA "does not issue cash security deposits. Instead, the Agency is issuing this Security Voucher"
What it means: tell the owner to expect two or more checks a month.
Source: SPSVC-18, page 11; W-147N.
- HRA "will pay up to the equivalent of one month's rent" for verified unpaid rent or damage
- The landlord files the claim on page 2, with proof, "within three months after the tenant has vacated"
- The claim is sworn before a notary and sent with proof of ownership to the HRA/HPA Landlord Management Unit, HPALandlordMGMT@hra.nyc.gov
- Refusing the voucher in place of a deposit "may constitute source of income discrimination"
Watch outConfirm a HASA client gets a security voucher before telling an owner.W-147N is a Cash Assistance form, issued for a "Cash Assistance participant/tenant." No HASA document read names it. Ask the caseworker whether the client's case gets a security voucher before describing one to an owner.
What Is Known About the HASA Fee Amount
No current HRA document states what HASA pays a broker, or that it pays one.
- 2011City Limits reported that HRA, that March, began paying 50 percent of the normal broker fee and replaced cash deposits with vouchers, and that the rule "affected all of its housing programs and was not aimed specifically at HASA."
- April 28, 2011HRA revised W-147P and W-147JJ. Both set the fee at "50% of the monthly rent."
- June 30, 2021HRA-121 sets a fee of "up to 15% of the annual rent" for households leaving DHS and HRA shelters "as well as certain other households."
- June 12, 2026the HASA FAQ mentions a list of brokers and no fee, amount or form.
- October 7, 2026a NYC311 article titled "HASA Broker Fee Assistance" says "The City pays a fee to licensed Real Estate brokers who help HRA clients find housing." It gives no amount, form or conditions.
What it means: two HRA formulas exist in print, and HRA ties neither to HASA.
Sources: City Limits (press report; its site dates it December 2011); W-147P; HRA-121; SPSVC-18, page 9; NYC311.
ExampleVoucherMatch's arithmetic, on a studio at the $2,646 maximum. Under the Cash Assistance forms, 50% of one month's rent is $1,323. Under HRA-121, 15% of the annual rent ($31,752) is $4,762.80. Neither figure is confirmed for a HASA case.
Fee amounts by program are in the CityFHEPS broker fee article.
The HASA Broker List
The "broker list" is one sentence in HASA's FAQ: caseworkers "can provide a list of apartment brokers who have assisted HASA clients in the past." HRA adds that it "cannot guarantee that these brokers will have apartments available at any given time."
- Who holds itcaseworkers, according to the FAQ. No central list is posted
- How to get on itnot published. HRA posts no application, criteria or contact
- HRA's broker inquiry formits subsidy choices are CityFHEPS, EOSD, FHEPS and SOTA. HASA is not one (HRA)
- The "HASA Housing" online system"For contracted supportive housing providers only. Password required"
What it means: the list is described as brokers who have already placed a HASA client, passed along by caseworkers.
Source: SPSVC-18, page 9; HRA HIV/AIDS Services.
Clients also search apartments from landlords who say they accept HASA, and owners and brokers can list a property there at no charge.
Confidentiality: A Client's HIV Status and Article 27-F
New York Public Health Law Article 27-F restricts who may disclose HIV-related information, and HRA admits to HASA only people diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. The program's name on a letter or an email therefore tells the reader the diagnosis.
- What is protectedinformation held by a person "who provides one or more health or social services or who obtains the information pursuant to a release," including anything that "identifies or reasonably could identify an individual" as having HIV (section 2780(7))
- Health or social servicethe definition includes public assistance, housing services and shelter "provided pursuant to the social services law" (section 2780(8))
- The ruleno person who obtains it while providing such a service, or under a release, "may disclose or be compelled to disclose" it except to those the law lists (section 2782(1))
- No passing it ona person who receives it may not disclose it further except as the law allows (section 2782(3))
- A valid releasewritten, signed, dated, naming the recipient, the purpose and the time period. A general medical release does not count unless it says so (section 2780(9))
- Penaltiesa civil penalty "not to exceed five thousand dollars for each occurrence"; a willful violation is a misdemeanor (section 2783)
What it means: the rule is written for people who provide health or social services, which is where case management sits.
Source: the statute as published by the New York State Senate. The State Health Department says its AIDS Institute enforces Article 27-F (Department of Health, revised April 2026).
The statute does not mention real estate brokers. VoucherMatch found no Health Department or HRA statement on whether a broker with no release is covered; that is a question for an attorney.
- Let the client decide who is told which program pays the rent, and when
- HASA talks to an advocate only after the client signs a HIPAA release and tells the agency in writing that the advocate may act on the case (SPSVC-18, page 6)
- The State's release form, DOH-2557, lists each person or facility allowed to receive the information
- Keep the diagnosis and the word HASA out of listing inquiries and group emails
- Questions and complaints: the State's HIV Confidentiality Hotline, 1-800-962-5065, or HIVPrivacy@health.ny.gov
Questions to Ask the HASA Case Manager First
Six questions settle what HRA has not published. Brokers send them before the first showing; case managers have the answers ready.
- Is a broker fee approved for this case? In what amount, and on which form?
- When is that form due: with the lease, or within a set number of days after move-in?
- What bedroom size and maximum rent is the client approved for, with the utilities the tenant would pay?
- Will the landlord receive a security voucher, and who brings it to the lease signing?
- Who inspects, and how soon after an address is sent?
- When should the landlord expect the first check, and to what name and address will checks go?
What Brokers Cannot Do
Four limits apply whatever the caseworker answers.
- Charge the client as the landlord's agentsince June 11, 2025, a landlord's agent, including a listing agent, may not charge the tenant (DCWP). See the FARE Act and voucher broker fees
- Refuse or advertise a refusalthe Commission on Human Rights names HASA as a lawful source of income and applies the law to "landlords, owners, and real estate brokers," with exceptions for small owner-occupied buildings and units not publicly advertised (CCHR)
- Insist on cash security on top of a voucherHRA tells clients to report brokers and landlords who do (HRA brochure BRC-993)
- Take an HRA fee on an affiliated buildingall three HRA broker forms exclude an owner, controlling person or affiliate
Past penalties are in NYC brokers fined for voucher discrimination. Clients who are turned away can use how to report voucher discrimination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does HASA pay a broker fee?
HRA has not published a HASA broker fee, amount or form. A NYC311 article titled "HASA Broker Fee Assistance" says the City pays a fee to licensed brokers who help HRA clients find housing, with no details. Get the terms from the caseworker in writing.
Is the HASA fee 15% like CityFHEPS?
VoucherMatch could not confirm that. HRA publishes up to 15% for CityFHEPS, FHEPS shelter exits, SOTA and homeless veterans, and ties no figure to HASA.
Can a HASA client pay the rest of the fee?
Not to a landlord's agent or listing agent, who cannot charge the tenant under the FARE Act. A client who hires their own broker may pay that broker.
What is a broker fee?
In New York City, a broker fee is what a real estate agent charges for arranging a rental. Since June 11, 2025, whoever hired the broker pays it: a landlord's agent cannot charge the tenant. See the FARE Act article.
Who do I call?
The client's HASA caseworker first. HRA's general line is 718-557-1399: HRA's page gives ServiceLine hours as Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, and NYC311 lists 8 AM to 5 PM.
Next step: before the next showing, send the caseworker the six questions above with the unit's address, asking rent and utility split, and keep the reply with the lease file.
TipBrokers who work with voucher holders can join VoucherMatch's broker directory.
How this article was checked
Last checked: October 7, 2026, against the HASA Frequently Asked Questions (SPSVC-18, dated 06/12/2026), the HRA Special Services Rent Payment Guidelines (SPSVC-17, effective 9/10/2025), HRA's HIV/AIDS Services, landlord and broker, Special Grant Document Guide and broker inquiry pages, forms W-147N (03/22/2021), W-147P and W-147JJ (both Rev. 4/28/11), W-147M (Rev. 6/2/08), W-147 (Rev. 7/5/11) and HRA-121 (06/30/2021), NYC311 article KA-01560, Public Health Law sections 2780, 2782 and 2783, the State Health Department's Article 27-F page (revised April 2026) and form DOH-2557 (2/11). General information, not legal advice.
Sources for this article (26)
- HASA FAQ (SPSVC-18) (nyc.gov)
- rent guidelines (SPSVC-17) (nyc.gov)
- HIV/AIDS Services page (nyc.gov)
- landlord and broker page (nyc.gov)
- Special Grant Document Guide (nyc.gov)
- W-147P (nyc.gov)
- W-147JJ (nyc.gov)
- HRA-121 (nyc.gov)
- Department of State (dos.ny.gov)
- HPD Online (hpdonline.nyc.gov)
- DOB, Certificate of Occupancy (nyc.gov)
- HPD, penalties and fees (nyc.gov)
- W-147N (nyc.gov)
- W-147 (nyc.gov)
- W-147M (nyc.gov)
- DOH-2557 (health.ny.gov)
- City Limits (citylimits.org)
- NYC311 (portal.311.nyc.gov)
- HRA (nyc.gov)
- section 2780(7) (nysenate.gov)
- section 2782(1) (nysenate.gov)
- section 2783 (nysenate.gov)
- Department of Health (health.ny.gov)
- DCWP (nyc.gov)
- CCHR (nyc.gov)
- HRA brochure BRC-993 (nyc.gov)
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