How to Apply for HASA in NYC: ServiceLine 718-557-1399
Quick answerTo apply for HASA in New York City, as of October 2026, contact ServiceLine at 718-557-1399 (Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM) or go to 400 Eighth Avenue, 2nd Floor, in Manhattan. You need one medical form documenting an HIV or AIDS diagnosis, usually the W-488X signed by your physician. There is no online application. If you are homeless, you can ask for same-day emergency housing once you are accepted.
Last checked: October 4, 2026, against HRA's HIV/AIDS Services page, the HASA Frequently Asked Questions (form SPSVC-18, dated 06/12/2026), the Request for Program Admission (form W-488X, rev. 01/08/2021), the HRA Special Services Rent Payment Guidelines (form SPSVC-17, effective 9/10/2025), HASA Facts for August 2026, the ACCESS NYC HASA page, the NYC Commission on Human Rights source-of-income page and the New York State OTDA fair hearing FAQ (archived copy of February 17, 2026).
- 718-557-1399ServiceLine, the single entry point for applications
- 9 AM to 5 PMServiceLine hours, Monday to Friday
- 1 formmedical proof of diagnosis, from a list of three HRA accepts
- 200%of the Federal Poverty Level is the income limit for rent and cash help
- Same dayemergency housing request for newly accepted clients who are homeless
- 60 daysto ask for a fair hearing after a Public Assistance denial notice
Step 1: Contact ServiceLine
Call or visit ServiceLine, which HRA describes as "the single entry point for applications, information, and referrals" for HASA (the HIV/AIDS Services Administration).
- Phone718-557-1399, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, per HRA
- In person or by mail400 Eighth Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10001
- Email, for documentsServiceLine@hra.nyc.gov. HRA offers this address for submitting documentation and says access is restricted to a limited number of ServiceLine and HASA Administration staff.
HRA does not say whether you need an appointment to walk in, so call first if you can. Neither HRA's page nor ACCESS NYC offers an online application; ACCESS NYC says to apply by phone.
You do not need a referral. HRA says applicants are typically referred by medical and service organizations but can contact ServiceLine directly, and in August 2026 half of them did.
View the data table
| Referral source | Applications |
|---|---|
| Self referral | 218 |
| Hospitals | 86 |
| Community-based organizations | 84 |
| Other | 37 |
| Corrections | 11 |
What it means: calling on your own is the most common way in, so you do not have to wait for a clinic or hospital to refer you.
Source: HASA Facts, August 2026, page 2 (436 applications in total).
Watch outIf you are homeless, say so on the first call. The HASA FAQ (page 8) says newly accepted clients who are homeless "can request same-day housing placement at Service Line." You have to be accepted first, so bring your medical form with you.
Step 2: Provide Medical Documentation
You need one form showing you have "been diagnosed, at any time, with HIV illness or with AIDS as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," in HRA's words. Since August 29, 2016, you do not need to have symptoms.
- W-488X. the Request for Program Admission, the usual form
- M-11q. the medical request for home care, used when you also need home care services
- SSA-4814 or SSA-4815. the Social Security forms (4814 for adults, 4815 for children)
The W-488X is one page, and a physician has to sign it. Take it to your doctor or clinic with the details below ready.
- About you. chosen name, name on your Social Security record if different, Social Security number and date of birth
- Where you live. address, phone, and the type of address (private apartment or house, NYCHA apartment, DHS shelter, emergency or supportive housing)
- Medical information. primary diagnosis and date of diagnosis, any secondary diagnoses, TB status and current medications
- Reason for referral. case management, benefits, housing or other (check all that apply)
- Household. adults only, or a family with children under 18
- Physician. printed name, phone, license number and signature
- Social worker or case worker, if you have one. name, phone and agency
What it means: the physician's license number and signature are the parts you cannot supply yourself, so the clinic visit comes before the ServiceLine visit.
Source: form W-488X, rev. 01/08/2021.
Case management is open to every New York City resident with a diagnosis. Rent and cash help add an income test.
- Case managementall NYC residents diagnosed with HIV or AIDS (HRA).
- Rental assistance and Cash Assistancetotal household income must be below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level for your household size. For one person in 2026 that is $31,920 a year, twice the $15,960 guideline (HASA FAQ, pages 1 and 4). Income is not disregarded when HRA decides initial eligibility.
Key pointHRA has not published a checklist of income documents for a HASA application. The only one its FAQ names is pay stubs for the most recent 30 days, for clients who start a job. The HASA guide explains how HRA budgets income.
Step 3: Get Assigned a Caseworker
Once you are accepted, HRA assigns you a caseworker at one of its HASA centers.
- Where: HRA says centers are "located in all 5 boroughs" but publishes no list of addresses. Ask ServiceLine which center will handle your case.
- Who: caseworkers are assigned by rotation. You may ask for a different one "with good cause," and the Center Director or HASA administration decides (HASA FAQ, page 6).
- What they do: your caseworker helps you apply for Medicaid, SNAP, Cash Assistance and housing, inspects any apartment you want to rent, and visits you at home.
- Home visits: at least every three months for single clients and for families with no child under 5 in independent housing; at least monthly for families with a child under 5 and for everyone in emergency housing (page 7).
TipIf you are not going to be home for a scheduled visit, tell your caseworker and reschedule. HRA warns that missed visits "may have a negative effect on your case."
Step 4: Sort Out Your Housing Path
HASA housing help takes three forms, and which one fits depends on whether you are homeless now and whether you need services on site.
- Emergency housingtemporary placement in transitional supportive housing (single adults only), a single room occupancy unit (single adults and couples) or a furnished family apartment, depending on family size and availability.
- Private market apartmentyou search on your own, your caseworker inspects the unit, and HASA pays the landlord directly once it approves the rent and the lease.
- Supportive housingcongregate residences with services on site, or scatter-site apartments leased in a housing provider's name. You complete an application and are interviewed by HASA's Comprehensive Health Assessment Team (CHAT). Some models also require a history of homelessness.
What it means: only the private market path leaves the search to you, and that is the path the next steps cover.
Source: HASA FAQ (SPSVC-18), pages 8 and 9.
How Much HASA Pays for Rent in 2026
HASA's maximum rent is $2,646 for a studio and $2,762 for a one-bedroom, under HRA's rent guidelines in effect since September 10, 2025.
- Your share: 30% of your gross household income if you have income other than Cash Assistance. With no income, HASA pays the full approved rent.
- Larger apartments and utilities: see How Much Does HASA Pay for Rent in 2026?
- How the landlord is paid: see the HASA guide
Step 5: Find the Apartment
On the private market path the search is yours, with some help from your caseworker.
- Broker list: the FAQ says caseworkers "can provide a list of apartment brokers who have assisted HASA clients in the past," with no guarantee those brokers have anything available.
- Broker fees: HASA has not published a broker fee amount. Ask your caseworker what HASA will pay before a broker shows you anything. Brokers can start with the HASA broker requirements post.
- Listings: browse apartments whose landlords say they accept HASA.
Key pointA landlord or broker who turns you away because HASA pays your rent is breaking the NYC Human Rights Law, which protects lawful source of income. The Commission on Human Rights lists two exceptions: small owner-occupied buildings and units that are not publicly advertised. See how to report it.
Step 6: Get the Apartment Approved
HASA has to approve the specific apartment, its rent and its lease before it pays anything.
- 1YouTell your caseworker about the unit before you commit to it, and before you leave the apartment you have now.
- 2Your HASA caseworkerInspects the unit. The FAQ says the caseworker "must conduct their own inspection," whether or not another entity already inspected it.
- 3HASAChecks the rent against its guidelines for your household and approves the rent and the lease.
- 4HASA and the landlordHASA sends the landlord checks twice a month.
What it means: an inspection the unit passed for another program does not count, so tell the landlord early that a HASA visit is coming.
Source: HASA FAQ (SPSVC-18), pages 10 and 11.
- Rent within the guideline for your household. the number of bedrooms HASA approves depends on how many people are in the household, their relationship, age and gender.
- Heat and hot water in the rent. required at a minimum, except for apartments from NYC Housing Connect and other city housing lotteries. The maximums assume all utilities are included, so the limit is lower if you pay one.
- A passed caseworker inspection. HRA has not published the checklist the caseworker uses.
TipExceptions exist. HRA's guidelines say exceptions to apartment size "will be considered based on a documented need," and the FAQ lets the agency weigh documented extenuating circumstances, such as a health or safety need. Raise yours with your caseworker before you choose a unit.
How Long Does It Take?
HRA does not publish how long admission, caseworker assignment, inspection, approval or the first rent check takes. These are the time limits it and the state do publish.
- Same daya newly accepted client who is homeless can request emergency housing placement at ServiceLine.
- More than 30 days with no decisionthe state lists this as a reason to ask for a fair hearing on a Public Assistance application (up to 45 days for some adults).
- At least once a monthhome visits while you are in emergency housing, until permanent housing is secured.
- Within 60 days of the notice datethe deadline to ask for a fair hearing on a Public Assistance denial, cut or closing.
What it means: the apartment search and approval have no published clock, so ask your caseworker for dates and put any eviction or shelter-exit deadline in writing.
Source: HASA FAQ (SPSVC-18), pages 7 and 8, and the OTDA fair hearing FAQ, read in an archived copy from February 17, 2026.
Few applicants are turned away on medical grounds. In August 2026, HRA reported 436 applications received and 358 found eligible; 6 were ineligible because they did not meet the medical criteria, 48 were pending and 24 were withdrawn by the referral source (HASA Facts, page 1).
For Case Managers and Advocates Outside HASA
HASA will work with a hospital social worker, clinic case manager or legal advocate, but only after the client authorizes it in two separate ways.
- HIPAA release. HASA discusses the case with you only after the client signs one. The FAQ points to state form DOH-2557, the authorization for release of health information and confidential HIV-related information.
- Written permission. you can conduct case transactions and receive documents from the case record only after the client also tells HASA in writing that you may act for them.
- Visitor ticket. identify yourself at the reception desk at each appointment.
- Current apartment. the FAQ tells clients who want to move not to abandon their apartment before talking to their caseworker. A client who is homeless or in documented imminent danger can be placed in temporary housing while looking.
- Screen the unit first. heat and hot water in the rent, and rent within the guideline for the household.
What it means: get both authorizations at intake, because the release alone does not let you submit or collect anything.
Source: HASA FAQ (SPSVC-18), pages 6, 10 and 11.
HRA publishes no HASA inspection standard. The VoucherMatch HPD inspection checklist covers a different program, but it is a reasonable way to spot condition problems before the caseworker's visit. If you manage a caseload, VoucherMatch for organizations keeps each client's documents and deadlines in one record.
If You're Denied or Your Case Stalls
You can ask New York State for a fair hearing when HRA denies, reduces or stops Cash Assistance, which includes HASA rental assistance, or Medicaid or SNAP.
- Deadline60 days from the date on the notice for Public Assistance and Medicaid, 90 days for SNAP. Your notice states which applies.
- Keeping your benefitsif you ask before the effective date on a notice that cuts or stops help, it will in most instances stay the same until the decision ("aid continuing"). If you lose, you have to pay back the Public Assistance and SNAP you received while waiting.
- Emergenciessay so when you request the hearing if you face homelessness or eviction. The state then schedules the hearing and issues a decision as soon as possible.
- Free legal helpThe Legal Aid Society's HIV/AIDS Representation Project helps people denied assistance by HASA. Its helpline is 718-579-8989.
What it means: the clock runs from the date printed on the notice, so request the hearing first and gather evidence afterward.
Source: OTDA fair hearing FAQ (archived copy of February 17, 2026; the live page could not be loaded on October 4, 2026) and The Legal Aid Society.
The steps for filing are in how to request a fair hearing for NYC rental assistance. VoucherMatch could not confirm from an official source whether a finding that you do not meet HASA's medical criteria goes to the same hearing; ask Legal Aid.
TipFor a stalled case, HRA publishes no escalation path. Write to your caseworker with the date you are waiting on. A request for a new caseworker goes to the Center Director or HASA administration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for HASA online? No. HRA offers no online application. You apply through ServiceLine:
- By phone: 718-557-1399, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM
- In person or by mail: 400 Eighth Avenue, 2nd Floor, Manhattan
- By email, for documents only: ServiceLine@hra.nyc.gov
Do I need an appointment, or can I walk in? HRA does not say. It lists ServiceLine's address and hours and accepts documents in person, so call 718-557-1399 before you go.
Where are the HASA offices in the Bronx, Brooklyn or Queens? HRA says HASA centers are in all five boroughs but does not publish their addresses. Everyone applies through ServiceLine in Manhattan, which assigns your center.
Do I need an AIDS diagnosis to qualify? No. Since August 29, 2016, an HIV diagnosis is enough, with or without symptoms. What you qualify for depends on income:
- Case management: every NYC resident diagnosed with HIV or AIDS
- Rental assistance and Cash Assistance: household income below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level
I'm homeless right now. How fast can HASA house me? Once you are accepted, you can request emergency placement the same day at ServiceLine. It is temporary, and your caseworker visits at least monthly until you have permanent housing.
Does HASA have a waitlist? HRA describes no waiting list or lottery for admission: every NYC resident with a diagnosis is eligible for case management. Supportive housing is different, because placement depends on availability.
What does HASA help with besides rent? Case management, plus help applying for other benefits. The HASA guide covers each:
- Cash Assistance, Medicaid and SNAP
- Home care and homemaking services
- Transportation assistance
- Mental health and substance use screening and treatment referrals
- SSI or SSD applications and appeals
Do I get a voucher? No. HRA says its HASA rental assistance "is not CityFHEPS or voucher programs." Approval is tied to one apartment, its rent and its lease.
Can I have HASA and Section 8 at the same time? HRA has not published an answer. Ask your caseworker before you accept either.
Accepted by HASA and ready to search? Browse apartments that accept HASA. Landlords can list a vacancy free.
Sources for this article (10)
- HIV/AIDS Services page (nyc.gov)
- ACCESS NYC (access.nyc.gov)
- HASA Facts, August 2026 (nyc.gov)
- HASA FAQ (nyc.gov)
- Request for Program Admission (nyc.gov)
- HRA's rent guidelines (nyc.gov)
- Commission on Human Rights (nyc.gov)
- OTDA fair hearing FAQ (otda.ny.gov)
- DOH-2557 (health.ny.gov)
- HIV/AIDS Representation Project (legalaidnyc.org)
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