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Quick answerIn New York City, as of October 4, 2026, HASA approves rent up to $2,646 a month for a studio, $2,762 for a one-bedroom and $3,058 for a two-bedroom, with all utilities included. HASA pays that rent minus your share: $0 if you have no income, or 30% of your gross household income if you have income other than Cash Assistance. The amounts took effect September 10, 2025 and did not change in 2026.
Last checked: October 4, 2026, against the HRA Special Services Rent Payment Guidelines (form SPSVC-17, effective 9/10/2025), the HASA Frequently Asked Questions (form SPSVC-18, dated 06/12/2026), the DSS Landlord Utility Calculators for 2025 and 2026, the CityFHEPS payment standards (DSS-8r, dated 01/14/2026) and NYCHA's 2026 Section 8 payment standards.
- $2,646maximum monthly rent for a studio, one person
- $2,762maximum for a one-bedroom, one or two people
- $3,058maximum for a two-bedroom, three or four people
- 30%share of gross household income you pay if you have income
- $0your share if you have no income
- 9/10/2025date the current amounts took effect
HASA Maximum Rents for 2026
HASA, the HIV/AIDS Services Administration inside the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA), approves rent up to one citywide maximum for each unit size. The same schedule applies in every borough and ZIP code.
View the data table
| Unit size (household size) | Maximum rent |
|---|---|
| Studio (1 person) | $2,646 |
| 1 bedroom (1 or 2 people) | $2,762 |
| 2 bedrooms (3 or 4 people) | $3,058 |
| 3 bedrooms (5 or 6 people) | $3,811 |
| 4 bedrooms (7 or 8 people) | $4,111 |
| 5 bedrooms (9 or 10 people) | $4,728 |
What it means: this is the most rent HASA will approve, and what HASA itself pays is this rent minus your share.
Source: HRA Special Services Rent Payment Guidelines, form SPSVC-17, effective 9/10/2025. The schedule continues to ten bedrooms at $7,812.
Key pointA one-person household appears in two rows, the studio and the one-bedroom. HRA says the number of bedrooms it approves depends on how many people are in the household, their relationship, age, gender and other factors, and that the guidelines "are not a guarantee" (HASA FAQ, page 11). Confirm your size with your caseworker before you search.
"All utilities included" means the rent covers cooking gas, electricity, heat and hot water. If you would pay any of those yourself, the maximum is lower: see the utilities section below.
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How Much of the Rent Do You Pay?
Your share depends on your income, and the rent does not change it. HASA pays the rest of the approved rent to the landlord, by check, twice a month.
- No incomeyou pay $0 and HASA pays the full approved rent.
- Income other than Cash Assistanceyou pay 30% of your gross household income. This covers wages, SSI, Social Security Disability and veterans' benefits, counted before any disregards.
- First six months of a new jobif you already receive Cash Assistance and your income stays under 200% of the federal poverty level, your wages can be disregarded in full, once in a lifetime. Your share is then worked out as if you earned nothing.
What it means: a cheaper apartment does not lower your share, and a raise increases it.
Source: HASA FAQ, form SPSVC-18 (06/12/2026), pages 1, 2 and 11. The rule applies to clients living in private-market housing.
Key pointThe 30% limit is state law. Social Services Law 131-a(14) says a person living with HIV in New York City who receives HASA services and public assistance "shall not be required to pay more than thirty percent" of monthly income toward rent. It does not cover room and board arrangements.
HRA's own examples of the split
HRA publishes four worked budgets for a one-person household. The chart shows each one: the rent, the client's share and what HASA pays the landlord.
View the data table
| HRA example | Rent | Client pays | HASA pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. No income | $1,419 | $0 | $1,419 |
| B. SSI of $1,000 | $1,419 | $300 | $1,119 |
| C. New job at $2,000, first six months | $1,800 | $0 | $1,800 |
| C. Same job after six months | $1,800 | $600 | $1,200 |
| D. New job at $4,000 | $1,800 | $1,200 | $600 |
What it means: in C and D the rent is the same $1,800, and the client's share doubles because the income doubled.
Source: HASA FAQ, form SPSVC-18 (06/12/2026), pages 3 to 5. These are HRA's examples, not VoucherMatch estimates.
- Cash grant: the clients in examples A and C (first six months) also receive a $376 monthly cash grant. The clients in B and D do not, because more than $376 is left after their rent share.
- Earning more: the client in D earns $48,000 a year, above the 200% limit of $31,920 for one person in 2026, and HRA still shows HASA paying $600 of the rent.
ExampleThis example is VoucherMatch's, at a rent closer to today's market. A single person with $1,000 a month in SSI rents a studio at $2,500, under the $2,646 maximum. The share is 30% of $1,000, or $300. HASA pays the other $2,200.
For a rough figure of your own, HRA has a Financial Assistance Estimator. It only works for a single person whose income is Cash Assistance, SSI, SSD or veterans' benefits, and HRA does not vouch for its accuracy. Your caseworker's budget is the one that counts.
Utilities Change the Math
If you pay a utility yourself, HASA subtracts that utility's set amount from the maximum rent. Heat and hot water have to be in the lease, so the usual case is a tenant who pays cooking gas and electricity. The guide to utilities included versus a utility allowance covers what voucher tenants pay in NYC.
| Unit size | Maximum, all utilities included | Deduction in the 2025 DSS calculator | Maximum after deduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,646 | $122 | $2,524 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,762 | $138 | $2,624 |
| 2 bedrooms | $3,058 | $177 | $2,881 |
| 3 bedrooms | $3,811 | $215 | $3,596 |
| 4 bedrooms | $4,111 | $254 | $3,857 |
What it means: a two-bedroom where you pay gas and electric has to rent for about $2,881 or less.
Source: maximums from SPSVC-17; deductions from the DSS Landlord Utility Calculator for 2025, the tool SPSVC-17 tells you to use. The last column is VoucherMatch's subtraction.
Watch outTreat these as estimates. HASA's own list of deductions is on a page of SPSVC-17 that is not in the public file. DSS has also posted a 2026 calculator for CityFHEPS with slightly higher amounts ($181 for a two-bedroom, against $177). HRA has not said which one HASA applies now, so ask your caseworker for the exact figure before you agree on a rent.
The heat and hot water rule has one stated exception: apartments obtained through NYC Housing Connect and other City housing lotteries. HRA says other exceptions may be granted case by case.
What If the Rent Is Above the Maximum?
HASA generally will not approve it. HRA calls the amounts maximums and publishes no option for a client to pay the difference out of pocket, which is how Section 8 can work.
- Ask the owner to lower the rentshow them the HASA schedule, which is separate from the lower CityFHEPS table.
- Ask your caseworker about an exceptionfor documented extenuating circumstances, such as protecting a client's health or safety, the agency can use its discretion on the maximum.
- Keep lookingsearch apartments from landlords who say they accept HASA.
What it means: an exception is decided by the agency on documents, so do not sign a lease expecting one.
Source: HASA FAQ, page 11.
What HASA Does Not Pay
HASA pays approved rent to the landlord and nothing beyond what the guidelines allow. These are the gaps to plan for.
- Rent above the maximum. not approved unless the agency grants a documented exception.
- Your 30% share. yours to pay if you have income other than Cash Assistance.
- Utilities you pay yourself. they lower the maximum rent HASA will approve.
- A lease without heat and hot water. not approved, apart from housing lottery apartments and case-by-case exceptions.
- An apartment before approval. nothing is paid until your caseworker has inspected the unit and HASA has approved the rent and the lease.
- Room and board. the 30% limit in state law does not apply to these arrangements.
- Broker fee and security deposit. HRA has not published whether HASA pays these or how much. Ask your caseworker before you promise anything to a broker or owner.
What it means: get the rent, the utilities and the move-in costs settled with your caseworker before you sign.
Source: SPSVC-17, HASA FAQ, pages 1 and 11 and Social Services Law 131-a(14).
Did the Amounts Change for 2026?
No. The schedule that took effect September 10, 2025 is still the one HRA points to, and HRA has not announced a date for the next change.
- January 1, 2023studio $2,335. This old file is still on nyc.gov, so check the date on any table you find.
- January 1, 2024studio $2,624, one-bedroom $2,696.
- September 10, 2025studio $2,646, one-bedroom $2,762. This is the current schedule.
- April 1, 2026CityFHEPS lowered its own standards (studio $2,604). HASA's amounts stayed where they were.
- June 12, 2026HRA's updated FAQ sends readers to the September 2025 guidelines for leases "starting September 10, 2025 through present."
- Next changeno date published. HRA says only that the guidelines "are subject to change."
What it means: check the effective date on any HASA table you are shown.
Source: current SPSVC-17; the 2023 guideline; the 2024 guideline in an archived copy from February 29, 2024; DSS-8r; HASA FAQ, page 11.
Whether another version sat between the 2024 and 2025 schedules could not be confirmed. One figure does have a set review date: the 65% earned income disregard, which affects the cash grant and not your rent share, "is subject to change every June 1st."
How HASA Rents Compare to Other Programs
In 2026 the HASA maximum is $28 to $61 a month higher than the CityFHEPS standard and NYCHA's Section 8 standard for a new rental, depending on unit size.
View the data table
| Unit size | HASA | CityFHEPS 2026 | NYCHA Section 8, new rentals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,646 | $2,604 | $2,604 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,762 | $2,734 | $2,734 |
| 2 bedrooms | $3,058 | $2,997 | $2,997 |
| 3 bedrooms | $3,811 | $3,753 | $3,753 |
| 4 bedrooms | $4,111 | $4,077 | $4,077 |
What it means: price a HASA apartment from the HASA column.
Source: SPSVC-17 (HASA, effective 9/10/2025); DSS-8r (CityFHEPS, effective 04/01/2026); NYCHA payment standards (effective January 1, 2026).
- Section 8 through HPD: HPD's citywide standards are different again: $2,624 for a studio, $2,696 for a one-bedroom and $3,027 for a two-bedroom (HPD payment standards).
- Section 8 renewals at NYCHA: NYCHA uses a second schedule for annual recertifications, and its amounts equal the HASA column.
- How the limit works: a Section 8 payment standard caps the subsidy, and a family can sometimes rent above it. The HASA figure caps the rent itself.
For those programs in full, see CityFHEPS payment standards and NYC Section 8 payment standards.
Who Qualifies for HASA Rental Assistance?
A New York City resident diagnosed with HIV or AIDS who also meets HRA's financial tests. Symptoms have not been required since August 29, 2016.
- Income limit. total household income below 200% of the federal poverty level, which is $31,920 a year for one person in 2026.
- Level of need. for one person, less than $376 a month left after the required rent share. The amount varies with household size, and HRA does not publish the other sizes.
- Approval. HASA must approve the rent and the lease.
What it means: both tests are run by HRA on your whole budget, so apply even if you are unsure.
Source: HASA FAQ, pages 1 and 4.
New applicants call ServiceLine at 718-557-1399. What HASA is and who qualifies and how to apply for HASA cover those steps in full.
What Landlords Should Know
A HASA tenancy pays you the approved rent in two parts: the client's 30% share, if any, and HRA's payment for the balance.
- Price from the HASA schedule. not the CityFHEPS table, and lower by the utility amount if the tenant pays gas or electricity.
- Expect an inspection. the client's caseworker must inspect the unit even if another agency already has.
- Expect two checks a month. a base rent payment each half-month, plus a supplemental payment when the client receives the HASA rental subsidy.
- Do not refuse because the rent comes from HASA. that is source-of-income discrimination under the NYC Human Rights Law, in place since 2008. The law exempts small owner-occupied buildings and units that are not publicly advertised.
What it means: a unit priced at the right table and ready for inspection is the one that gets approved.
Source: HASA FAQ, page 11 and the NYC Commission on Human Rights.
Owners can list a unit on VoucherMatch at no charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does HASA pay for a single person in 2026? HASA approves rent up to one of two maximums, with all utilities included, and pays it minus 30% of your gross income, or all of it if you have no income.
- Studio: up to $2,646 a month
- One-bedroom, if HASA approves that size: up to $2,762 a month
Does HASA pay the security deposit and broker fee? HRA has not published an answer for HASA. None of the HASA documents checked states that either is paid or gives an amount, so ask your caseworker before you commit to a broker. Brokers can start with the HASA broker requirements post.
Can I rent an apartment that costs more than the HASA maximum? Generally no. The agency can use its discretion for documented extenuating circumstances, for example to protect a client's health or safety. Ask your caseworker before you sign anything.
Did HASA rents go down in 2026? No. The cut in 2026 was to a different program.
- CityFHEPS: lowered its standards on April 1, 2026, to $2,604 for a studio.
- HASA: guidelines effective September 10, 2025 are unchanged, at $2,646 for a studio, and are still the ones HRA's June 2026 FAQ points to.
Does HASA pay rent directly to my landlord? Yes. Once the rent and lease are approved, the landlord or property manager receives checks twice a month. Your 30% share, if you have one, is yours to pay.
Is the HASA amount different in Brooklyn, the Bronx or Manhattan? No. The guideline is one citywide schedule with no borough or ZIP code amounts.
Next step: ask your caseworker for three figures in writing: your approved bedroom size, your maximum rent with the utilities you would pay, and your monthly share. Then search HASA apartments.
Sources for this article (12)
- HRA Special Services Rent Payment Guidelines, form SPSVC-17, effective 9/10/2025 (nyc.gov)
- HASA FAQ, page 11 (nyc.gov)
- Social Services Law 131-a(14) (nysenate.gov)
- Financial Assistance Estimator (nyc.gov)
- DSS Landlord Utility Calculator for 2025 (nyc.gov)
- 2026 calculator (nyc.gov)
- 2023 guideline (nyc.gov)
- archived copy from February 29, 2024 (web.archive.org)
- DSS-8r (nyc.gov)
- NYCHA payment standards (nyc.gov)
- HPD payment standards (nyc.gov)
- NYC Commission on Human Rights (nyc.gov)
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