How to Apply for CityFHEPS in NYC: Homebase or Shelter
Quick answerIn New York City, as of October 2026, there is no online CityFHEPS application. If you are not in shelter, you apply through a Homebase office: call 311 or use HRA's Homebase locator to find the one for your ZIP code. If you are in a DHS or HRA shelter, your housing specialist or case manager starts it. Either way, gross income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, plus one more condition.
Last checked: October 4, 2026, against DSS's CityFHEPS FAQ for clients in the community (DSS-7r, January 23, 2026), the FAQ for shelter residents (DSS-7n, January 13, 2026), HRA's CityFHEPS, Road Map, Homebase and Homebase FAQ pages, the City's rule (68 RCNY §§ 10-01, 10-13 and 10-15), the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines and a June 24, 2026 City Council press release.
- 200%of the federal poverty level, the gross income limit
- 311the number to call to find your Homebase office
- 120 dayshow long a shopping letter is valid
- $2,7342026 maximum rent, one-bedroom, utilities included
- 60 daysto ask DSS to review a decision
- 718-557-1399HRA's Rental Assistance Call Center
There Is No Online Application: Where to Start
You apply through a caseworker, and which caseworker depends on where you are living now. DSS, the agency over both HRA and the Department of Homeless Services, publishes two routes.
- Not in shelterDSS says "you must contact one of the DSS nonprofit service providers called Homebase." A Homebase caseworker collects what DSS needs and files for you.
- In a DHS or HRA shelterYour housing specialist or case manager gives you the DSS letters and submits your package.
- Street homeless, drop-in center or transitional housingYou must be receiving services from a DHS contracted provider, and that provider is your way in.
What it means: a housing court case, veteran status or an agency referral are reasons you may qualify. They are not separate places to apply.
Sources: CityFHEPS FAQ for clients in the community, DSS-7r and FAQ for shelter residents, DSS-7n.
Watch outACCESS HRA does not take CityFHEPS applications. HRA's Road Map sends you there, or to a Benefits Access Center, to open the Cash Assistance or one-time case that goes with CityFHEPS, and current tenants renew there. Source: CityFHEPS Road Map.
Who Qualifies
Every household must pass three tests, then meet one condition from the list for its route. Only DSS decides eligibility; caseworkers gather the facts.
| Test for everyone | What DSS says | Stated in |
|---|---|---|
| Income | Gross income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level | DSS-7r, DSS-7n |
| Cash Assistance | If you are eligible for it, you must be receiving it, with no sanction on the case | DSS-7r, DSS-7n |
| Other programs | Shelter residents must "not qualify for any other rental assistance program, including FHEPS." In the community, if you are found eligible for other benefits and offered them, "you must accept them." | DSS-7n; DSS-7r |
What it means: a family with children on Cash Assistance that is facing eviction may be sent to FHEPS, the state program, instead.
Source: DSS-7r and DSS-7n, both revised January 2026.
A sanction has to be cleared at a DSS/HRA Benefits Access Center before CityFHEPS can start. For the FHEPS route see how to apply for FHEPS and FHEPS vs CityFHEPS.
If you are not in shelter
- Veteran. the household includes someone who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and is at risk of homelessness
- Pathway Home. the household gets Pathway Home benefits and would be eligible if it were in DHS or HRA shelter
- Referral. a CityFHEPS qualifying program referred you and DSS decided CityFHEPS was needed to avoid shelter entry
- Eviction, plus one more thing. you are facing eviction in court or were evicted in the past year, and the household includes someone who previously lived in a DHS shelter, or someone with an active Adult Protective Services case or in a designated community guardianship program, or you live in a rent-controlled apartment and will use CityFHEPS to stay there
What it means: being behind on rent, or even being in housing court, is not enough alone. The City's rule names the qualifying programs: referrals from ACS, the three-quarter housing task force, DYCD and the Department of Correction (68 RCNY § 10-01).
Source: DSS-7r, page 1.
If you are in a DHS or HRA shelter
DSS's current shelter FAQ lists no minimum length of stay. It does require one of the following, and the household must not have lived in the new residence at any time in the past year.
- Work. an adult has been working 10 hours a week for the last 30 days, subsidized or unsubsidized
- Disability. someone receives federal disability benefits, or gets ongoing Cash Assistance and is on the WeCARE SSI track
- Age. someone is 60 or older
- Caregiver. someone 18 or over is exempt from Cash Assistance work rules because they care for a disabled family member
- Veteran. someone served in the U.S. Armed Forces
- Shelter closing. your DHS shelter is about to close
- Referral. a qualifying program referred you and DSS decided CityFHEPS was needed to shorten the shelter stay
What it means: not everyone in shelter qualifies, so ask your housing specialist which line applies to you.
Source: DSS-7n, pages 1 and 2.
Key pointWider rules are tied up in court. Local Laws 100, 101 and 102 of 2023 would drop the shelter-stay precondition and move the income test to 50% of area median income. The City Council said on June 24, 2026 that the administration's appeal was pending at the Court of Appeals; no ruling was found as of October 4, 2026, and DSS's FAQs still list the criteria above. Source: NYC Council.
What 200% of the Federal Poverty Level Means in Dollars
For one person it is $31,920 a year in gross income, and for a family of four it is $66,000, using the 2026 federal guidelines.
View the data table
| Household size | 200% of the 2026 guideline |
|---|---|
| 1 | $31,920 |
| 2 | $43,280 |
| 3 | $54,640 |
| 4 | $66,000 |
| 5 | $77,360 |
| 6 | $88,720 |
What it means: treat these as a guide. DSS publishes the percentage but no dollar table, and does not say how it counts income, so your caseworker's figure is the one that decides.
Source: VoucherMatch's arithmetic, doubling the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines, effective January 13, 2026.
DSS's shelter FAQ adds one exception: a single adult working at least 35 hours a week at minimum wage may have income above 200%.
Door 1: Homebase (At Risk of Eviction)
Homebase is where anyone outside shelter applies, and you do not need a court case to walk in. HRA's Homebase FAQ advises going "at the first sign of a housing problem."
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- 1Find your officeCall 311 or use the Homebase locator, which lists each office, its phone number and the ZIP codes it serves.
- 2Call firstHRA says to call the office in advance to schedule an appointment. If you walk in, go early; "before 12:00 PM is best."
- 3Bring documentsTake what you have from the list below. Homebase can still assess you without all of it.
- 4AssessmentThe caseworker collects what DSS needs to assess your potential eligibility, and may refer you to other benefits first.
What it means: the locator is the quickest way to the right phone number. It also posts closures; on October 4, 2026 it showed the Far Rockaway site as temporarily closed.
Sources: Homebase and Homebase FAQ, HRA.
- ID. for every adult, and identification such as a birth certificate for children
- Income. paystubs dated within 30 days for every working member; an SSI or SSD award letter from the last year
- Cash Assistance. a budget letter or WMS printout dated within 30 days, if you have a case
- Lease. your lease or written rental agreement
- Eviction papers. a rent demand, landlord letter or court documents such as a marshal's notice
- Other. any rental assistance referral, voucher or award letter, and a light, gas or telephone bill
What it means: this is Homebase's general first-appointment list. DSS has not published a checklist specific to CityFHEPS applicants.
Source: Homebase FAQ.
If you want to stay in your apartment, the caseworker files an application that includes your eligibility, documentation of the eviction and arrears documentation. DSS weighs the amount of the arrears and whether the unit meets program rules. Homebase also offers short-term emergency funding; the HRA One-Shot Deal is a separate application.
Door 2: Shelter Placement
In shelter you do not apply anywhere yourself: your housing specialist or case manager is the route. Once DSS identifies you as potentially eligible, that worker gives you the letters, helps you look, and submits the package when you find a unit.
- Check the letters: review the personal and income information with your worker before you start looking
- Application fees: DSS says it "can possibly pay the application fees" for people in DHS shelter; ask your case manager
- Questions: DSS says to speak with your case manager or housing specialist first
Source: DSS-7n. The move-out stages are in the shelter move-out timeline.
What Happens After You Qualify
You get letters first, and approval comes only after a unit is found and reviewed. DSS says the letters mean you are "potentially eligible," not approved.
- 1LettersEveryone gets a Household Share Letter. Only households moving to new housing get a Shopping Letter, valid for 120 days.
- 2SearchYou find the apartment, SRO unit or room yourself and tell your caseworker.
- 3Unit checksThe provider does a safety clearance review and a walkthrough.
- 4PaperworkThe landlord gives documents to the provider. You complete the Program Participant Agreement and tenant contact form.
- 5ReviewThe provider submits the package and HRA reviews it, including a rent reasonableness test.
- 6Move inChecks are issued for the provider to pick up, then the key exchange.
What it means: your caseworker, not you, files with DSS at each stage. How to read and use the letter is in the shopping letter guide.
Sources: DSS-7r and the CityFHEPS Road Map, market apartment track.
View the data table
| Unit size (household size) | Maximum rent |
|---|---|
| Studio (1) | $2,604 |
| 1 bedroom (1 or 2) | $2,734 |
| 2 bedrooms (3 or 4) | $2,997 |
| 3 bedrooms (5 or 6) | $3,753 |
| 4 bedrooms (7 or 8) | $4,077 |
What it means: these apply inside the five boroughs and drop if you pay utilities. A whole apartment can be anywhere in New York State, at different amounts.
Source: DSS-7r, 2026 payment standards effective April 1, 2026.
Watch outDSS has not published how long any of this takes: the assessment, the letters or the package review. The rule says HRA keeps no CityFHEPS waitlist and that approvals are "limited by the amount of available funding." Source: 68 RCNY § 10-15.
You can start looking at CityFHEPS apartments while you wait. Once housed, the subsidy is renewed every year; see CityFHEPS renewal.
If DSS Says No
You can ask for an agency review conference, a DSS administrative hearing, or both, within 60 days of the decision. The hearing request must be in writing, and asking for a conference first extends the hearing deadline to 60 days after the conference. Source: 68 RCNY § 10-13.
The rule says how to send the request is set out in the appeals notice. DSS has not posted a form or address for it on its CityFHEPS pages, so keep the notice. State fair hearings are a different process, covered in the fair hearing guide.
What Landlords Should Know
A tenant with a shopping letter is potentially eligible, and DSS approves the tenancy only after the package is reviewed. Rent can be up to the maximum for the unit size, and it must pass a rent reasonableness test.
- Monthly rentDSS issues a check to the landlord each month for the CityFHEPS portion.
- SecurityDSS gives a security voucher, and the landlord cannot ask the tenant for a deposit.
- LengthGenerally up to five years, with no limit for households with someone 60 or older or an adult on federal disability benefits. Renewals depend on eligibility and funding.
- Refusing a voucherDSS calls it source of income discrimination, "unlawful in New York City." Tenants are told to call the Commission on Human Rights at 212-416-0197.
What it means: side deals for extra rent are prohibited. Forms and incentives are in the CityFHEPS guide for landlords.
Source: DSS-7r.
To reach households already searching, list your property free on VoucherMatch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I just apply for CityFHEPS online? No. DSS publishes no online application. Outside shelter you must contact Homebase; in shelter your housing specialist or case manager handles it.
Can I get CityFHEPS without going through shelter? Sometimes. You need one of the four community conditions above.
- No shelter history needed: at-risk veterans, Pathway Home households, qualifying-program referrals, and eviction cases with an Adult Protective Services case, guardianship or a rent-controlled apartment
- Shelter history needed: other households facing eviction, where someone must have previously lived in a DHS shelter
What are the income limits for CityFHEPS? Gross income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. By VoucherMatch's arithmetic from the 2026 guidelines that is $31,920 for one person and $66,000 for four. DSS publishes no dollar table.
Do I have to be on Cash Assistance? Only if you are eligible for it. Then you must be receiving it with no sanction on the case.
What's the maximum rent CityFHEPS will pay? It depends on unit size. In 2026, inside New York City with all utilities included:
- Studio: $2,604
- Two bedrooms: $2,997
- Four bedrooms: $4,077
- Full schedule: CityFHEPS payment standards
How long does it take to get CityFHEPS? DSS has not published a processing time. Homebase says appointments are scheduled by urgency and that emergency appointments are accommodated.
Who do I call with questions? Your caseworker first, DSS says.
- By phone: HRA's Rental Assistance Call Center, 718-557-1399, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM
- Other languages: DSS's FAQs come in Spanish and 13 other languages on the CityFHEPS page; VoucherMatch also has a guide in Spanish
Can I appeal an HRA decision on CityFHEPS? Yes. Request an agency review conference or a DSS administrative hearing within 60 days of the decision.
Your next step: look up your ZIP code on the Homebase locator and call that office today, or, if you are in shelter, ask your housing specialist which eligibility line applies to you.
Sources for this article (11)
- CityFHEPS FAQ for clients in the community, DSS-7r (nyc.gov)
- FAQ for shelter residents, DSS-7n (nyc.gov)
- Source: CityFHEPS Road Map (nyc.gov)
- 68 RCNY § 10-01 (codelibrary.amlegal.com)
- Source: NYC Council (council.nyc.gov)
- 2026 HHS poverty guidelines (federalregister.gov)
- Homebase locator (nyc.gov)
- Homebase (nyc.gov)
- Homebase FAQ (nyc.gov)
- Source: 68 RCNY § 10-15 (codelibrary.amlegal.com)
- CityFHEPS page (nyc.gov)
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