How to Get on the Section 8 Waitlist in NYC (2026 Status)
Quick answerYou cannot join a Section 8 waitlist in New York City today. As of October 4, 2026, NYCHA's list is closed to new applicants and it has issued no vouchers from that list since August 1, 2025. HPD takes referrals only. The state's HCR list for the city is closed after a lottery that ran July 13 to 24, 2026. You can still keep an existing application current, apply to housing authorities outside the city, and check other rent programs.
Last checked: October 4, 2026, against NYCHA's Section 8 Applicants and Program Updates pages, its Applicant and Tenant Guide and its Administrative Plan (effective May 2026), NYCHA's August 1, 2024 press release, HPD's Section 8 FAQ, HCR's Subsidy Services Bureau page, Section 8 page, Waiting List FAQs and MyHousing portal, NYC311 article KA-03390, HUD's voucher and housing agency directory pages, 24 CFR 982.204, 982.206, 982.207 and 982.353, and the FTC's Section 8 scam alert.
- 0NYC Section 8 lists open to the public on October 4, 2026
- August 1, 2025NYCHA paused issuing vouchers from its waitlist
- 633,808online applications to NYCHA's June 2024 lottery
- 200,000households NYCHA placed on the list
- July 24, 2026HCR's New York City lottery closed
- $0the fee to apply to any Section 8 list
Is Any NYC Section 8 Waitlist Open Right Now?
No. Each of the three agencies that run Section 8 in the city says, on its own page, that the public cannot apply today.
| Agency | Status on October 4, 2026 | Who can still get in | Where the agency posts it |
|---|---|---|---|
| NYCHA | "currently closed to new applicants." Voucher issuance to the general list paused since August 1, 2025 | Agency referrals only | Section 8 Applicants |
| HPD | No public application | Residents of certain HPD-assisted buildings, and homeless households referred by a City agency | HPD Section 8 FAQ |
| NYS HCR, New York City | "currently closed." 2026 lottery took applications July 13 to 24, 2026 | No one new | Subsidy Services Bureau |
| NYS HCR, other counties | Not listed county by county on the pages read | Depends on the county list | MyHousing portal |
What it means: a site that says a New York City list is open today is wrong or is not an agency.
Sources: NYCHA Section 8 Applicants and Program Updates; HPD Section 8 FAQ; HCR Subsidy Services Bureau and Section 8 page; NYC311 article KA-03390.
One caution on HCR. Its bureau page still says there are "no immediate plans" to reopen the city list, yet NYC311 records a 2026 lottery. HCR's own closing notice sits under its project-based heading and prints no year, so HCR has not said in the pages read whether that lottery covered regular vouchers, specific buildings, or both.
When a list does open, federal rules require a public notice that states "where and when to apply" (24 CFR 982.206). NYCHA's plan says the notice goes on its website and in English and other-language publications (Administrative Plan). For lists in other cities, see the checked list of open Section 8 waiting lists.
The Three NYC Waitlists to Watch
NYCHA, HPD and HCR each keep a separate list, and being on one does not put you on another. HCR says so directly: you "MUST apply separately" (HCR Waiting List FAQs).
- NYCHAThe largest program, about 107,979 vouchers. Check or update an application at the Self-Service Portal, or call 718-707-7771, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- HPDNo list the public can join. Existing applicants and clients call Client Services at 917-286-4300. Its Stability Vouchers go only to people already on HPD's list who are referred by the NYC Continuum of Care.
- NYS HCRThe city office is the Subsidy Services Bureau, 25 Beaver Street, 2nd Floor, 212-480-6672. Applications for any HCR list go through the MyHousing portal, which labels them pre-applications to the "NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation". Help line: 833-791-2748.
What it means: "NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation" on the portal is HCR's program, not a fourth one.
Sources: NYCHA About Section 8; NYCHA Section 8 Applicants; HPD About Section 8; HCR Subsidy Services Bureau; HCR Section 8 page.
NYCHA still takes referrals in set categories. Its applicants page names Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing and Stability Vouchers. Its Administrative Plan keeps the list open for four kinds of referral, and none of them is a form you can file yourself.
- Homeless households referred by a City agency
- Young people leaving foster care, referred by ACS
- Domestic violence victims and intimidated witnesses, referred by a prosecutor or law enforcement agency
- NYCHA public housing residents who must move, referred by NYCHA
If you already hold a voucher and want to know how the agencies differ, see HPD vs NYCHA Section 8.
How the Lottery Worked Last Time
NYCHA's last opening was a seven-day online lottery in June 2024, and the day you applied made no difference. NYCHA said random selection gave every household "an equal opportunity to be chosen regardless of when their applications were received."
- December 10, 2009the last day NYCHA's list was open to general applications before 2024
- June 3 to 9, 2024NYCHA takes 633,808 online applications; paper forms had to be postmarked by June 28
- August 1, 2024NYCHA announces 200,000 households picked by lottery, with a goal of 1,000 vouchers a month if funding allowed
- August 1, 2025NYCHA pauses outreach and voucher issuance for the general list
- July 13 to 24, 2026HCR takes applications for its 2026 New York City lottery
- October 4, 2026all three agencies checked; none is accepting public applications
What it means: fewer than one in three households that applied in 2024 got a place, and a place has not meant a voucher since August 2025.
Sources: NYCHA press release, August 1, 2024; NYCHA Section 8 Applicants; NYC311 article KA-03390.
A place on the list was never a promise. NYCHA wrote in 2024 that it "does not necessarily guarantee receipt of a voucher" and that it "is unable to estimate when applicants will be reached."
Nobody outside the agencies knows how the next opening will run. Federal rules let a housing authority choose among equally ranked applicants by date and time of application or by random drawing (24 CFR 982.207).
How to Keep a NYCHA Application Active
If you were picked in 2024 or were already on the list, you are still on it, and your job is to stay reachable. NYCHA says applicants kept their original position, that it "has not removed applicants from the waitlist," and that it will contact people when issuance resumes.
- 1Log ingo to selfserve.nycha.info. You must be the head of household on the application and have an email address and Social Security number.
- 2Update contact detailshome address, mailing address, phone and email.
- 3Update the applicationclick "Application Update" under your case information, make changes, then click submit.
- 4Answer any canvass noticeif NYCHA mails a notice asking you to confirm interest, update in the portal by the deadline printed on it. A final notice follows one missed notice; after that the application is closed.
- 5Get help if stuckcall the Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771.
What it means: the pause costs you nothing as long as NYCHA's mail reaches you.
Sources: NYCHA Section 8 Applicants; Program Updates, questions 2 to 6; Check Status; Administrative Plan.
Watch outA notice that comes back to NYCHA as undeliverable closes your case. HCR is stricter for its city list: address changes must be sent in writing by fax to 212-480-6677 or by mail to the Subsidy Services Bureau, and email does not count (HCR).
- No reply. to a request for information or an update
- Unfinished online application. after two notifications
- Returned mail. an update notice marked undeliverable
- Missed appointments. two scheduled eligibility interviews or briefings
- Denial. NYCHA finds the household ineligible
- Expired voucher. no apartment rented in time
- Death or request. the sole applicant dies, or the applicant asks in writing
What it means: if a household member's disability is why you missed a deadline, ask for a reasonable accommodation; NYCHA says it will put you back in your former position.
What your portal status tells you
The portal shows your "current application status," but NYCHA publishes no glossary for labels such as active, inactive or preliminary. What NYCHA does say: applicants "do not have a specific number" on the list (Agency Referrals FAQs), and people on an existing list "may be asked to update your preliminary application or submit a complete application." If a label worries you, call 718-707-7771.
Income is tested later, not now. NYCHA says "you must be income-eligible at the time of voucher issuance." Current figures are in the Section 8 income limits guide.
Who Gets Picked First: Preferences
NYCHA calls people from its list by preference first and application date second, and a household with no preference falls in the last of six categories.
| Rank | Who is in it |
|---|---|
| 1 | Homeless households referred by City agencies or the NYC Continuum of Care |
| 2 | Domestic violence victims and intimidated witnesses referred by a prosecutor or law enforcement agency |
| 3 | NYCHA public housing residents who are required to move |
| 4 | Mobility-impaired people living in inaccessible housing |
| 5 | Elderly persons and persons with disabilities |
| 6 | All other applicants |
What it means: a preference you can document, such as age or disability, moves you ahead of rank 6, so keep that part of your application accurate.
Source: NYCHA Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Plan, effective May 2026.
NYCHA says it "cannot expedite an application at the request of an individual or third party." HCR's lists give preference to homeless households and to elderly or disabled households or families with dependent children (HCR Waiting List FAQs).
Project-Based Waitlists Are Separate
A project-based voucher is tied to one apartment in one building, and each building keeps its own list. These lists open on their own dates, so they are worth watching while the main lists are shut.
- NYCHAApplicants can place themselves on site-based lists through the Self-Service Portal, limited to two developments. Doing so "has no effect" on your place on the main list. NYCHA's pages do not say whether someone who is not on the main list can join one today.
- NYS HCR"Each building usually has its own waiting list. You can apply to as many lists as you like," all from one MyHousing application. If picked, you get a voucher for that building only.
What it means: a building list is a second ticket, and it does not cancel the first.
Sources: NYCHA Guide for Applicants and Tenants; NYCHA Administrative Plan; HCR Section 8 page; HCR Waiting List FAQs.
The trade-off is that the subsidy stays with the apartment when you move out. The guide to Section 8, public housing and project-based units covers the difference.
Apply to Housing Authorities Outside NYC Too
Yes, you can apply elsewhere. HUD says "you may need to apply to multiple Public Housing Agency waitlists" and "you do not need to be a resident of the jurisdiction where you apply" (HUD).
- 1Find agenciesuse HUD's housing agency directory, listed by state, or the VoucherMatch waiting list tracker and housing authority pages.
- 2Check HCR's county listsHCR keeps a separate list for each county it serves. One MyHousing application per head of household can be added to any list that is open.
- 3Apply to severalHCR confirms you can sit on more than one list, and being picked from one does not cost you your place on another. You can hold only one voucher at a time.
- 4Report changesHCR's portal requires notice within 10 business days of a change in address, phone, income or family size, online or in writing.
What it means: none of the HCR pages reviewed says which county lists are open, so check the portal itself.
Sources: HUD Housing Choice Vouchers: Tenants; HCR Waiting List FAQs; MyHousing portal.
Watch outA voucher won elsewhere cannot always come straight back to the city. If you did not live in that agency's area when you applied, you have no right to move the voucher for the first 12 months, unless the agency allows it (24 CFR 982.353). There is an exception for survivors of domestic violence who must move for safety.
After that year, porting a voucher into NYC is the next step.
Programs You Can Pursue Right Now
Other rent programs in the city are not run from a lottery list, but each has its own entry rules. You cannot hold one of them and a Section 8 voucher together; CityFHEPS vs Section 8 explains the switch.
- CityFHEPSFor people in DHS or HRA shelter, street homeless people working with a DHS provider, and some households facing eviction, who apply through Homebase. See how to apply for CityFHEPS.
- FHEPSFor families with children on Cash Assistance who were evicted or face eviction, or lost housing to domestic violence or unsafe conditions. See how to apply for FHEPS.
- HASAFor New Yorkers diagnosed with HIV or AIDS who meet its income rules. See how to apply for HASA.
- NYCHA public housingA different list that takes applications now. It stays active for two years and must be renewed in the portal to keep your place.
What it means: none of these is open to every low-income renter, so read the entry rule before you spend a day on an application.
Sources: HRA CityFHEPS; HRA FHEPS; HRA HIV/AIDS Services; Apply NYCHA.
Avoiding Waitlist Scams
Applying is free at every agency, so any request for money is the tell. NYCHA puts it plainly: "Never pay money to apply for public housing or Section 8."
- A fee. HCR "will never ask for your debit or credit card" to apply. The FTC says "there is no fee to register for a Section 8 waiting list."
- A promise. HCR warns against anyone who claims to guarantee a spot or improve your chances.
- An invitation out of nowhere. the FTC says housing authorities do not phone or email people to suggest joining a list.
- Wire transfers or prepaid cards. a housing authority never asks for these.
- A deposit request by email. HCR has seen fake emails, some signed with real case managers' names, telling families to send a security deposit.
What it means: agencies do write to people already on a list, so judge a message by what it asks for, and log in to the portal yourself to confirm it.
Sources: Apply NYCHA; HCR Waiting List FAQs; HCR Section 8 Portals page; FTC consumer alert, June 2015.
The real sites are selfserve.nycha.info for NYCHA and section8.hcr.ny.gov for HCR. Report a suspected NYCHA scam to its Inspector General at 212-306-3355; the FTC also takes complaints.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if the Section 8 waitlist is open? Read the agency's own page. All three showed closed or referral-only on October 4, 2026.
- NYCHA: the Section 8 Applicants page
- HPD: the Section 8 FAQ
- NYS HCR: the Section 8 page and the MyHousing portal
Is Section 8 accepting applications in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Manhattan or Staten Island? No. The three agencies' voucher lists cover all five boroughs together, and none is open. Only project-based lists are kept building by building.
I applied to NYCHA in 2024. Did the pause cost me my place? No. NYCHA says "you will stay on the waitlist and your position will remain unchanged." Keep your contact details current in the portal and answer any canvass notice by its deadline.
What can I apply for right now? Nothing that is Section 8 inside the city. These are the open routes:
- Other housing authorities: HUD says you do not have to live where you apply; expect to use the voucher there for the first 12 months
- CityFHEPS, FHEPS or HASA: if you meet the entry rules
- NYCHA public housing: a separate list
How long is the wait? No agency publishes one. NYCHA says it cannot estimate when applicants will be reached, and it is issuing no vouchers from the general list during the pause.
How do I avoid Section 8 scams? Pay nothing. Use only selfserve.nycha.info and section8.hcr.ny.gov, and treat any offer to guarantee or speed up a place as fraud.
Your Next Step
If you have a NYCHA or HCR application on file, spend ten minutes today confirming your address in the portal. If you do not, pick two or three housing authorities from the waiting list tracker and apply where a list is open. Once you hold a voucher or a shopping letter, browse apartments that accept it.
Sources for this article (27)
- Section 8 Applicants (nyc.gov)
- HPD Section 8 FAQ (nyc.gov)
- Subsidy Services Bureau (hcr.ny.gov)
- MyHousing portal (section8.hcr.ny.gov)
- Program Updates (nyc.gov)
- Section 8 page (hcr.ny.gov)
- NYC311 article KA-03390 (portal.311.nyc.gov)
- 24 CFR 982.206 (ecfr.gov)
- Administrative Plan (nyc.gov)
- HCR Waiting List FAQs (hcr.ny.gov)
- Self-Service Portal (selfserve.nycha.info)
- NYCHA About Section 8 (nyc.gov)
- HPD About Section 8 (nyc.gov)
- NYCHA press release, August 1, 2024 (nyc.gov)
- 24 CFR 982.207 (ecfr.gov)
- Check Status (nyc.gov)
- NYCHA Section 8 Guide for Applicants and Tenants (nyc.gov)
- Agency Referrals FAQs (nyc.gov)
- HUD (hud.gov)
- HUD's housing agency directory (hud.gov)
- 24 CFR 982.353 (ecfr.gov)
- HRA CityFHEPS (nyc.gov)
- HRA FHEPS (nyc.gov)
- HRA HIV/AIDS Services (nyc.gov)
- Apply NYCHA (nyc.gov)
- HCR Section 8 Portals page (hcr.ny.gov)
- FTC consumer alert, June 2015 (consumer.ftc.gov)
VoucherMatch Editorial Team
Every rule, date and dollar amount in this article is checked against the agency document it comes from, and the sources are listed above. How VoucherMatch articles are researched and corrected
Related Articles
Can College Students Get Section 8? The Under-24 Student Rule Explained
It depends on who is applying. A student living with parents who have a voucher is simply a household member. A college student applying on their own is barred if they are under 24, unmarried, not a veteran, have no children and are not disabled, unless both they and their parents are income-eligible. Here is the rule, the exceptions, how student aid is counted, and what housing authorities ask for.
9 min readCan a Landlord Charge Extra on Top of Section 8 Rent? Side Payments Explained
No. A landlord in the voucher program cannot demand or accept any rent from the tenant beyond the tenant's approved share, and must return any excess. Charging extra for things other tenants get as part of rent is also banned. A few separate charges are allowed, such as a security deposit and agreed extras that are not part of the lease. Here is the rule for tenants and landlords, and what to do if it happens.
8 min readHow Long Can You Be Away From Your Section 8 Apartment?
How long can you be away from a Section 8 apartment? Never over 180 days in a row, and often less: 14 to 120 days without approval in seven of ten plans.
9 min readCan You Rent From a Family Member With Section 8?
Can you rent from a family member with Section 8? Not from a parent, child, grandparent or sibling, unless a disability exception applies. Rule and exceptions.
8 min readCan a Single Person With No Kids Get Section 8?
Yes, a single person with no kids can get Section 8. See the federal rule, the studio or one-bedroom voucher size, and how seven agencies rank single adults.
8 min readCan You Get Section 8 With an Eviction or Housing Debt?
Can you get Section 8 with an eviction or a debt to a housing authority? The one mandatory bar, the optional grounds, 8 agency plans and how to clear a debt.
9 min read