How to Get a Housing Voucher in NYC (2026): Every Program and Where to Actually Apply

There is no form called "housing voucher application" anywhere in New York City. That is the first thing to understand, because most people searching for one give up when they cannot find it.

What exists instead is six separate programs run by four different agencies, each with its own door. Section 8, the one everyone has heard of, is effectively shut: the NYCHA waiting list is closed and NYCHA stopped issuing vouchers to people on it in August 2025. But the city and state programs that most New Yorkers actually get housed with, CityFHEPS, FHEPS, HASA, HUD-VASH and SOTA, have no waiting list at all. You qualify through your circumstances, not your place in a line.

This guide tells you which program matches your situation, exactly who to call, what you will need, and what happens once you are approved.

Last checked: September 2026, against NYCHA's Section 8 applicants page, HRA's CityFHEPS page and Homebase page, HPD's Section 8 page and HCR's Housing Choice Voucher page. Rules change; confirm with the agency before you act on a deadline. This is general information, not legal advice.

En español: Apartamentos que aceptan vouchers en Nueva York y todas nuestras guías en español.

Start Here: Which Program Fits Your Situation

Find your row. The phone number in the last column is the real starting point, not a website.

If two rows fit you, call both. Homebase and HRA decide which program you are evaluated for; you do not have to pick correctly in advance.

Section 8 in NYC: Closed, Paused, and What You Can Still Do

Section 8 (the federal Housing Choice Voucher program) is run by three agencies in New York City: NYCHA, HPD and New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR). Our HPD vs NYCHA guide explains the differences. For a new applicant in 2026, the status is the same at all three: you cannot apply today.

NYCHA. The largest program. NYCHA opened its waiting list in June 2024 for the first time in roughly 15 years, ran a lottery, and closed it. Then, effective August 1, 2025, NYCHA paused outreach and voucher issuance for everyone on that general list. NYCHA's applicants page says the pause is still in effect and that applicants "have not been removed" from the list. If you applied in 2024, your position is preserved; keep your contact details current in the Self-Service Portal and wait for NYCHA to resume contact. The two exceptions NYCHA names are HUD-VASH and Stability Voucher referrals, which it continues to accept.

HPD. You cannot apply to HPD for a Section 8 voucher at all. HPD vouchers move by referral from city agencies, mainly DHS and HRA, and HPD's own page says Stability Vouchers are "only available to certain applicants already on HPD's HCV waiting list." Client Services: 917-286-4300.

HCR. The state's program has a New York City office (Subsidy Services Bureau, 25 Beaver Street, 212-480-6672) and takes applications through its MyHousing Portal only when a list opens. Check the portal at section8.hcr.ny.gov or call the portal help line at 833-791-2748 to ask whether any NYC list is open.

Two things still work while the lists are closed:

• Apply to open lists outside the city. Housing authorities in nearby counties and other states open their lists on their own schedules. A voucher issued elsewhere can later be used in New York City through portability. Our guides to getting on the Section 8 waitlist in NYC and porting a voucher into NYC walk through it, and our open waiting lists tracker shows which lists are accepting applications now.
• Use a city or state program in the meantime. Everything in the sections below has no waiting list. Many households hold CityFHEPS or FHEPS for years and never see a Section 8 voucher.

One warning. Section 8 applications are always free, and no one can move you up a list. Anyone charging a fee to "get you on Section 8" or texting you about an opening is running a scam. Report it and call 311 or the agency directly to check.

CityFHEPS: The Program Most New Yorkers Can Actually Get

CityFHEPS is the city's own rent supplement, run by the Department of Social Services (DSS, which includes HRA and DHS). It pays part of your rent directly to the landlord, can be used anywhere in New York State, and lasts up to five years with extensions for good cause. It covers single adults as well as families, and there is no waiting list.

Who qualifies. In broad terms, you need gross household income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, you must be in a DHS or HRA shelter, at risk of entering shelter, or in another qualifying circumstance, and if you are eligible for Cash Assistance you must be receiving it without a sanction. Work requirements apply, with exemptions for disability, age and veteran status. HRA does not publish one simple eligibility checklist, and the rules for shelter residents in particular have changed several times, so treat this as the shape of the program and let the caseworker apply the current rules.

How you apply: four doors, no portal. There is no open online application. You enter through one of these:

• Homebase, if you are in the community and at risk of losing your housing. Homebase is DSS's network of nonprofit prevention offices, with an office assigned to every ZIP code in the city. Its page says it serves people "at imminent risk of entering the New York City shelter system" with low income who want to stay housed, and it assesses eligibility for rental assistance. Call 311 or use the Homebase locator, then call the office to book an appointment before you go.
• HRA during an active Housing Court case. Apply through ACCESS HRA or an HRA Benefits Access Center with your case number, income proof and household documents. Court moves fast; apply the week you are served.
• Your shelter case manager, if you are in a DHS shelter. The case manager makes the referral and works the application with you.
• Referral categories for certain veterans, adults leaving institutions and other designated groups. Your provider makes this referral.

Our step-by-step CityFHEPS application guide covers each door in detail.

What you get. DSS issues a shopping letter that shows the maximum rent it will approve for your household size, plus a Household Share Letter showing what you would pay. The letter is valid for 120 days and is generally renewed if you remain eligible. For CityFHEPS packages submitted on or after March 1, 2026, the maximums for a move within the five boroughs, with all utilities included, are:

If you pay any utilities yourself the maximum is lower. These numbers went down in 2026 from the 2025 schedule, so a letter issued before the change may show a different figure. Our shopping letter guide explains how to read yours.

FHEPS: For Families With Children Facing Eviction

FHEPS (Family Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement) is the state-funded sibling of CityFHEPS. It is narrower: your household needs a child under 18 or a pregnant member, you must receive or be eligible for Cash Assistance, and you must be facing eviction or have lost housing because of domestic violence or a health and safety problem. It also pays on top of the Cash Assistance shelter allowance, and, unlike CityFHEPS, it can only be used inside the five boroughs.

How you apply. The same three doors as CityFHEPS in the community: Homebase, HRA (call 718-557-1399 or use ACCESS HRA), or Housing Court, where court staff and legal aid organizations start FHEPS applications on the spot. The single most useful document is the eviction paper itself: the notice, the court summons or the landlord's formal rent demand. Bring it, even as a copy.

FHEPS pays going forward. If you owe back rent, you apply for a One-Shot Deal at the same time to clear the arrears. Our FHEPS application guide has the document list, and FHEPS vs CityFHEPS explains how HRA decides which one you are evaluated for. FHEPS uses its own payment schedule, not the CityFHEPS table above.

HASA: Housing Assistance for New Yorkers Living With HIV

HASA (the HIV/AIDS Services Administration, part of HRA) has no waiting list, no lottery and no online application; enrollment is continuous. Since August 29, 2016, any New York City resident with an HIV or AIDS diagnosis qualifies for HASA case management; clinical symptoms are not required. Rental assistance and cash benefits also require household income below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.

How you apply. One phone number: ServiceLine at 718-557-1399, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, or ServiceLine@hra.nyc.gov, or in person at 400 Eighth Avenue, 2nd Floor in Manhattan. Your medical provider completes the diagnosis documentation. If you are homeless when you call, say so: newly accepted clients who are homeless can request same-day emergency housing placement.

What you get. A caseworker who inspects and approves your apartment, and rent paid directly to the landlord. If you have income other than Cash Assistance you pay 30% of gross household income toward rent; with no income HASA pays the full approved rent. The apartment must include heat and hot water. Our HASA application guide has the six steps and our HASA rent limits post has the current maximums.

HUD-VASH: Vouchers for Veterans

HUD-VASH pairs a Section 8 voucher with VA case management, and it is the one Section 8 door in New York City that is still open. NYCHA's applicants page confirms it continues to accept VASH referrals despite the general pause.

Who qualifies. Veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable who meet the federal definition of homelessness and are eligible for VA health care. Income limits follow standard Section 8 rules and are rarely the barrier.

How you apply. Not through NYCHA or HPD. Call the VA's National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838, or walk into a VA medical center and ask for the Homeless Coordinator. In the city that includes the Brooklyn VA Medical Center (718-836-6600), the Manhattan VA Medical Center (212-686-7500), the St. Albans Community Living Center in Queens (718-526-1000) and the Harlem Clinic (212-686-7500, ext. 4656). A VA case manager confirms eligibility and refers you to the housing authority for the voucher. You then pay 30% of adjusted income toward rent. Full details in our HUD-VASH guide.

SOTA: One Year of Rent for Shelter Residents With Income

SOTA (Special One-Time Assistance) is not a voucher, but it moves many households out of shelter each year, so it belongs here. It pays a full year of rent to your landlord, month by month, and then ends. It is for people in a DHS shelter who have income from work, SSI or SSD and who, for a move within the city, are not eligible for an ongoing subsidy like CityFHEPS or Section 8. The rent generally has to be affordable on your own income afterward, roughly 40% of income or less.

You cannot apply on your own; your shelter case manager or housing specialist identifies eligible clients and starts the paperwork. If you are in shelter and think you qualify, raise it at your next meeting. The SOTA guide covers eligibility, where you can use it and what happens when the year ends.

Do not confuse SOTA with the One-Shot Deal. The One-Shot Deal is an emergency grant from HRA for arrears, utilities or moving costs, open to people in the community, and part of it may have to be repaid.

Emergency Housing Vouchers: Ending, Not Opening

If you are searching because you heard about Emergency Housing Vouchers, that program is closing. HUD announced in March 2025 that EHV funding would run out early, and NYCHA now says all EHV assistance ends no later than December 2026, with no conversion to regular Section 8. NYCHA is instead offering current EHV households other subsidized housing, and set a September 30, 2026 deadline for those households to submit a public housing application in the Self-Service Portal. New EHVs are no longer being issued. Current holders should read our EHV transition guide and talk to Homebase about CityFHEPS before December.

Things That Look Like Vouchers but Are Not

• Housing Connect lotteries are applications for specific affordable buildings, not a voucher you carry. You can hold a voucher and apply to lotteries at the same time.
• NYCHA public housing is a separate application from Section 8. It is an apartment in a NYCHA development, not a subsidy for a private landlord's unit.
• The One-Shot Deal is a one-time grant, covered above.
• Homebase itself is not a program you "get." It is the office that gets you into CityFHEPS, FHEPS and emergency assistance.

Our voucher programs explainer lays out how Section 8, CityFHEPS, FHEPS and HASA compare side by side.

After You Qualify: What Happens Next

The mechanics are similar across programs once you are approved.

• You get a document that sets your maximum rent. A shopping letter for CityFHEPS or FHEPS, a voucher for Section 8 and HUD-VASH, a caseworker's rent guideline for HASA.
• You find the apartment. The program does not find it for you. This is where most searches stall, because many landlords do not know the programs or do not want the paperwork. Refusing you because of a voucher is illegal source-of-income discrimination under the NYC Human Rights Law; our guide to reporting voucher discrimination explains how to file. The faster route is landlords who already want voucher tenants, which is what every listing on VoucherMatch is.
• The unit is inspected and the rent is checked. Each program inspects the apartment and confirms the rent is reasonable before anything is paid.
• The landlord is paid directly and you pay your share. Report income and household changes promptly, and meet every recertification deadline, because missed paperwork is how most subsidies end.

If HRA or DSS denies you or stops a benefit, you can request a fair hearing from the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance at 800-342-3334. Our fair hearing guide explains the process. NYCHA Section 8 decisions follow a separate hearing process.

For Landlords

If a tenant contacts you holding a shopping letter or voucher, the program will pay a guaranteed portion of the rent directly to you every month for as long as the tenant stays eligible. CityFHEPS pays up to $2,997 for a two-bedroom in 2026 and adds a security voucher in place of a cash deposit. You cannot legally turn a tenant away because of the subsidy. If you have a vacancy, list it free on VoucherMatch and it will be seen by tenants who already have their paperwork in hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Section 8 open in NYC right now? No. As of September 2026 the NYCHA waiting list is closed to new applicants and NYCHA has paused voucher issuance for the general list since August 1, 2025. HPD does not take applications, and HCR's NYC list opens only occasionally through its MyHousing Portal. HUD-VASH referrals for veterans are the exception.

What is the fastest way to get rental assistance in NYC? If you are in the community and at risk of eviction, call 311 and ask for your Homebase office; that is the entry point for CityFHEPS and FHEPS. If you are living with HIV, call HASA ServiceLine at 718-557-1399, which has no waiting list. If you are a homeless veteran, call 877-424-3838. None of these has a lottery.

Can a single adult with no children get a voucher in NYC? Yes. CityFHEPS covers single adults and childless households, HASA covers any eligible New Yorker with an HIV diagnosis, HUD-VASH covers eligible veterans, and SOTA covers single adults in shelter with income. FHEPS is the one that requires a child or pregnancy in the household.

Do I have to be in a shelter to get CityFHEPS? No. Households at risk of entering shelter qualify through Homebase or, if they are already in Housing Court, through HRA. Shelter is one of four doors, not the only one.

How much will a voucher pay toward my rent? It depends on the program and your household size. In 2026 CityFHEPS pays up to $2,604 for a studio, $2,734 for a one-bedroom, $2,997 for a two-bedroom, $3,753 for a three-bedroom and $4,077 for a four-bedroom, all utilities included. FHEPS and HASA use their own schedules. Section 8 and HUD-VASH follow NYCHA's payment standards; see our Section 8 payment standards post.

Can I use an NYC voucher outside the city? CityFHEPS can be used anywhere in New York State. FHEPS is limited to the five boroughs. Section 8 and HUD-VASH vouchers can be moved to another housing authority anywhere in the country under federal portability rules, with limits your housing authority will explain.

Does it cost anything to apply? No. Every program on this page is free to apply for. Anyone asking for a fee to get you a voucher, move you up a list or speed up an application is committing fraud.

What if I have an eviction on my record? An eviction does not disqualify you from CityFHEPS, FHEPS or HASA; facing eviction is in fact how many households qualify. It can make the apartment search harder. Our guide to renting with an eviction record in NYC covers how landlords weigh it when a subsidy is paying most of the rent.

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