How to Remove Someone from Your Section 8 Household in NYC

Yes, you can remove a household member from your Section 8 voucher. You report the change to the agency that holds your voucher, along with proof that the person has actually left. The process is straightforward, but it requires documentation and a few steps with both the agency and your landlord.

When You Need to Remove Someone

You might need to remove someone from your household for several reasons: a family member moved out, a roommate left, someone was incarcerated, or a household member passed away. In each case, the agency needs to know so your voucher reflects who actually lives in the apartment.

Removing someone is the mirror of adding someone to your Section 8 lease. Both are household composition changes that must be reported to your agency.

The Golden Rule: You Need Proof They Actually Left

The agency won't remove someone from your voucher based on your word alone. You need documentation that proves the person no longer lives with you.

Acceptable proof typically includes:

• A lease or utility bill at their new address
• Military orders
• Incarceration records
• A death certificate
• A letter from a shelter or residential program showing they now live there

If the person moved in with family out of state, a lease or utility bill in their name at that address works. If they're incarcerated, contact the facility for official paperwork. If they passed away, the death certificate is the standard proof.

The agency will tell you exactly what documentation they'll accept. Don't guess. Ask your case manager what they need before you gather documents.

How to Remove Someone: NYCHA

If NYCHA holds your voucher, you report the household change through the NYCHA Self-Service Portal or at a NYCHA Walk-in Center.

Report the household composition change online or in person.

Log into the Self-Service Portal and look for the household composition change request. You'll list who is leaving and upload your proof documents. If you prefer to do this in person, find your nearest Walk-in Center and bring your proof with you.

Wait for approval.

NYCHA will review your request and the documents. This can take a few weeks. You'll get notice once they've approved the change.

Confirm the change in your case.

Once approved, check the portal or ask at your next appointment to confirm the household size has been updated in the system.

For questions about the process, call the NYCHA Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771.

How to Remove Someone: HPD

If HPD holds your voucher, contact HPD's Section 8 program directly to report the household change.

Contact HPD to report the change.

Call or visit your local HPD office. You'll need to provide the person's name, the date they left, and your proof documents. HPD will tell you whether to mail documents, upload them, or bring them in person.

Submit your proof.

Provide the documentation that shows the person has left. HPD will review it and update your case.

Confirm the update.

Once HPD approves the change, ask for written confirmation and keep it with your voucher records.

If you're unsure which HPD office to contact, call 311 for routing.

How Removal Changes Your Rent and Bedroom Size

Removing a household member can affect your voucher in two ways.

Bedroom size may decrease.

At your next annual recertification, the agency may reduce your voucher's bedroom size. For example, if you had a two-bedroom for a family of four and one person moves out, you might qualify for a one-bedroom at the next recertification.

Payment standard and tenant share may change.

A smaller bedroom size usually means a lower payment standard, which is the maximum rent the voucher will cover. Your tenant share (the amount you pay) is recalculated based on your income and the new payment standard. This could increase or decrease what you pay, depending on your income.

Ask your case manager how the removal will affect your specific situation before you report it. You want to understand the financial impact.

What Landlords Should Know

If you're a landlord and a tenant wants to remove someone from the household, here's what happens on your end.

The tenant reports the change to their agency first. Once the agency approves it, the tenant will work with you to remove that person from the lease. You may need to sign an amended lease or a lease termination for just that occupant, depending on your lease structure and local law.

Do not remove someone from the lease before the agency approves the household change. The agency needs to see that the person is still on the lease when they review the request. Once approved, you can execute the lease change.

If a tenant wants to remove someone but that person refuses to leave the apartment, that's an occupancy dispute between the tenant and the occupant. The agency won't process the household change until the person is actually gone. The tenant may need legal help to resolve this.

For questions about how a household change affects rent calculations or the voucher, direct the tenant to their case manager or agency.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as proof someone left? Acceptable proof typically includes a lease or utility bill at their new address, military orders, incarceration records, or a death certificate. The agency will tell you what documentation they need.

Will removing someone change my rent? Possibly. Removing a household member can reduce your voucher's bedroom size at the next annual recertification, which may change the payment standard and your tenant share. Ask your case manager how the change will affect your specific situation.

Do I tell the landlord or the agency first? Tell the agency first. The agency that holds your voucher must approve the household change. Once approved, you work with your landlord to remove them from the lease.

What if the person won't leave the apartment? If someone refuses to move out, that's an occupancy dispute. You may need to go to housing court or get legal help before the agency will treat them as removed from the voucher. Contact your local legal services office for assistance.

Which agency do I contact? Contact the agency that holds your voucher. Three agencies administer Section 8 in NYC: NYCHA (the largest), HPD, and NYS HCR. Your voucher paperwork names which one. If you're unsure, call 311 for routing.

How long does it take to remove someone? It typically takes a few weeks from the time you submit your request and proof documents. The exact timeline depends on the agency's workload and whether they need to ask you for more information.

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