Section 8 Interim Change in NYC: How to Report Income Changes
Quick answerIn New York City, as of October 2026, the deadline depends on who runs your voucher. NYCHA: report every income change within 30 days on the Self-Service Portal. NYS HCR: within 10 business days, through "Report a Change" in the MyHousing Portal. HPD: report a drop any time on the Reporting Decrease in Income form; a raise can wait for your annual recertification. Report a drop fast, because a late report costs you months of lower rent.
Last checked: October 4, 2026, against NYCHA's Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan (effective May 2026), recertification checklist and interim portal guide; HPD's Administrative Plan (April 15, 2025), Section 8 FAQ and Reporting Decrease in Income form (Summer 2026); NYS HCR's Administrative Plan Version 2026-2 (October 1, 2026) and Resident Portal FAQ; 24 CFR 982.516; and HUD Notice PIH 2026-15.
- 30 daysNYCHA's deadline to report any income change
- 10 business daysNYS HCR's deadline
- 90 daysHPD's window to finish your proof and keep a backdated cut
- 30 days' noticewhat you get before a higher share starts
- 10%the rise in adjusted income that triggers a mid-year review at HCR
- $0 to $50the minimum rent, depending on the agency
The mid-year review is an interim recertification; NYCHA also calls it an interim change. Not sure which agency is yours? See HPD vs NYCHA vs HCR. For the yearly review, see annual recertification in NYC.
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Report in Writing, by Your Agency's Deadline
There is no single 30-day rule in New York City: NYCHA gives you 30 days, HCR gives you 10 business days, and HPD does not require a raise to be reported until your annual review.
| Agency | Income went up | Income went down |
|---|---|---|
| NYCHA | Report within 30 days of the change, with proof | Report within 30 days of the change, with proof |
| HPD | Report at your next annual recertification, or when HPD asks | Report any time; the sooner you do, the sooner your share drops |
| NYS HCR | Report within 10 business days of the change | Report within 10 business days of the change |
What it means: find your agency's row before you count days.
Source: NYCHA Administrative Plan, section XIX; HPD Administrative Plan, section 13.2, and Section 8 FAQ, page 8; HCR Administrative Plan, section 11-II.C (published October 1, 2026, in effect 60 days later).
Watch outHPD's rights and responsibilities page lists "reporting all changes in family composition and income within 30 days", which conflicts with its own Plan and FAQ. HPD has not explained the difference. Reporting a raise early is the safe course.
- NYCHA: starts an interim only on a complete electronic or written notice.
- HPD: logs the date you notify it, then asks for a form and proof.
- NYS HCR: accepts a phone report but can require it in writing.
What Counts as a Reportable Change
Any change in what a household member is paid counts, because federal rules count income from every member 18 or older, plus unearned income of children (24 CFR 5.609).
- A job started, lost, or changed in hours or pay rate
- Unemployment, SSI, SSDI, Social Security, pension or Cash Assistance starting, stopping or changing
- Child support or alimony starting, stopping or changing
- Self-employment, seasonal or gig income rising or falling
- One-time moneyTax refunds, and gifts for holidays, birthdays or other life events, are excluded as nonrecurring income. Regular help from someone outside the household is not a gift.
- A live-in aide's payThe income of an approved live-in aide is excluded.
- A new personSomeone moving in is a different request. See adding someone to your Section 8 household.
What it means: when unsure, report it. NYCHA asks for all income and applies the exclusions itself.
Source: 24 CFR 5.609(b)(8) and (b)(24).
If the change is a child turning 18, check the adult-child income and student rules and the linked consent-form checklist before preparing the report. A birthday, a new job and a change in student status can raise different questions for your agency.
Where to Report Your Change
Each agency has its own channel: NYCHA and HCR use a portal, and HPD uses a PDF form you email, fax, mail or upload.
- 1Log inGo to selfserve.nycha.info. First-time users choose "Register for Online Access".
- 2Open the requestChoose "Interim Recertification", then "Start/Finish my Interim Recertification".
- 3Report the incomeSet "Change Of Income Request" to "Yes", then use "ADD INCOME" or "REMOVE INCOME" for the household member.
- 4SubmitConfirm the Third-Party Verification consent and click "SUBMIT".
- 5Upload proofChoose "Continue to Document Upload(s)" and add each document.
What it means: the guide is old, so the first screen may differ. No internet? Call 718-707-7771 for the paper "Voucher Holder's Request for Interim Change" (Form 059.645).
Source: NYCHA interim recertification portal guide (April 2020) and Reporting Changes page.
- 1Tell HPD nowHPD counts from the day you report, so send the form even if your proof is not ready.
- 2Fill in the formUse the Reporting Decrease in Income form, one per household member who lost income.
- 3Send itEmail DTRIncomeDecrease@hpd.nyc.gov, fax 212-863-5299, or mail it to the Housing Support Unit, HPD Division of Tenant and Owner Resources, 100 Gold Street, New York, NY 10038.
- 4Or upload itThe HPD DTR portal is the Document Upload Portal. Sign in with an NYC.ID, choose the document type and upload.
- 5Finish the proof within 90 daysIf you cannot get a document, explain why in box 7 and sign the certification.
What it means: use DTRAI@hpd.nyc.gov only if you are unsure where a document goes.
Source: HPD Reporting Decrease in Income form (Summer 2026), Section 8 Forms page and upload portal guide.
Watch outTwo HPD forms can mislead you. The "Declaration of Change in Household Composition or Income" is worded for applicants and goes to a different mailbox. The "Interim Income and Household Composition Change Form" comes from another HPD division and is not a Section 8 form.
- 1Log inUse your NY.gov ID at the MyHousing Portal.
- 2Start the reportChoose "Report a Change" under Actions, then "Get Started".
- 3Attach files and submitYou cannot edit the report again until it is reviewed.
What it means: nothing needs to be mailed as well. Portal help is 833-791-2748.
Source: HCR MyHousing Resident Portal FAQ (March 2026).
Documents You'll Need
Send proof that shows the change itself, and send it with the report where you can: NYCHA's checklist says missing documents delay an interim.
- Lost a job. Termination or separation letter from the employer. HPD also accepts its Verification of Wages form, completed by the employer.
- Hours or pay cut. Two consecutive pay stubs showing the lower pay (NYCHA); the two most recent stubs for hourly work (HPD).
- Benefit cut or ended. Public assistance statement, or SSI, SSD or NY SSP award letter showing the reduction.
- Now on unemployment. The unemployment benefit record. It is new income, so report it with the job loss.
- Child support stopped. For court-ordered support, a "Letter of Closure" or "Statement of Account" from NYS child support; otherwise a signed statement from the payer (HPD).
- Self-employed or seasonal. Your most recent completed tax return. HPD does not accept self-prepared returns.
- Income went up. Two consecutive pay stubs showing the higher pay, or another document showing the increase (NYCHA).
What it means: HCR's administrator tells you what it needs and gives you 10 business days to send it.
Source: NYCHA Annual and Interim Recertification Checklist, page 2; HPD Reporting Decrease in Income form, pages 4 and 5.
What Happens to Your Rent
Your share is recalculated from the new income, and the date it starts depends on your agency and on whether you reported on time. The share is the highest of four amounts (24 CFR 5.628):
- 30% of monthly adjusted income
- 10% of monthly income
- The housing part of a welfare grant
- The agency's minimum rent
ExampleA hypothetical household's adjusted income falls from $2,600 to $1,300 a month. Thirty percent of $2,600 is $780; thirty percent of $1,300 is $390. If 30% is the highest of the four tests, the share falls by $390.
| Situation | NYCHA | HPD | NYS HCR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drop, reported on time | First of the month after the change, if reported within 30 days with documents | First of the month after you report, if documents are complete within 90 days | First of the month after the change |
| Drop, reported late | First of the month after NYCHA gets the documents | First of the month after complete documents arrive | First of the month after the review is finished; not backdated |
| Raise, reported on time | First of the month after a notice giving 30 days | First of the month after a full 30-day notice | First of the month after a 30-day notice |
| Raise, late or misreported | Not stated in the Plan; debts go to a repayment agreement | Can start without notice or be backdated; you owe the overpaid subsidy | Backdated to the first of the month after the change |
What it means: on time, a drop is backdated and a raise comes with notice. Late, you lose both.
Source: NYCHA Administrative Plan, section XIX.A; HPD Administrative Plan, sections 13.3.1 and 13.3.2; HCR Administrative Plan, section 11-II.D; 24 CFR 982.516(c)(4).
If Your Income Went Down
Report first and gather proof second, because a late report moves the start date later at all three agencies. Three limits apply:
- Payment standard: A mid-year review does not update it. NYCHA keeps the one from your last regular recertification.
- Overdue annual: NYCHA warns that a past-due annual recertification can hold up an interim.
- Welfare sanctions: No agency lowers your share when a welfare grant was cut for fraud or for missing work requirements.
If Your Income Went Up
Keep paying your current share until a written notice gives you a new one, and expect each agency to treat a raise differently.
| Who | What happens to a mid-year raise |
|---|---|
| Federal rule | The agency must review when adjusted income rises 10% or more. A raise in wages does not count toward the 10% unless your share was already lowered mid-year. It may skip drops under 10% |
| NYCHA | Has not adopted the threshold: it "will continue to review interim reexaminations for any income change" and says it will tell tenants before that changes |
| HPD | Usually waits for the annual. It reviews mid-year for households under $2,000 a year, for new income that replaces income you reported losing, and for Family Self-Sufficiency participants who ask |
| NYS HCR | Reviews only at 10% or more of annual adjusted income. Smaller raises are noted in your file and added together |
What it means: the 10% rule decides what the agency processes, not what you must report. HUD enforces it for most agencies from January 1, 2027.
Source: 24 CFR 982.516(c)(2) and (c)(3); NYCHA Administrative Plan, Appendix D; HPD Administrative Plan, section 13.2; HCR Administrative Plan, section 11-II.C; HUD Notice PIH 2026-15.
If a raise ever brings the subsidy to $0, the payment contract ends 180 days after the last payment (24 CFR 982.455). HPD resumes payments if your income falls again inside that window. More in what happens to Section 8 if your income goes up.
If You Lost All Income
With no income your share falls to the agency's minimum rent, and you can ask for a hardship exemption from that minimum in the same report.
- NYCHA$50 minimum. NYCHA grants an exemption when you cannot pay it because of hardship, including job loss or the death of an earner. It has not published a zero-income form.
- HPD$0 minimum. A non-elderly, non-disabled household reporting under $2,000 a year may have to complete a Statement of Income and Expenses and show an IRS transcript or non-filing letter.
- NYS HCR$50 minimum. Zero-income households complete a Zero Income Worksheet and are reviewed every 3 months.
What it means: questions about how you cover expenses are routine. Under the federal rule the minimum is suspended from the month after you ask.
Source: NYCHA Administrative Plan, section IX.A; HPD Administrative Plan, sections 10.1 and 5.2.2.5; HCR Administrative Plan, sections 6-III and 11-II.C; 24 CFR 5.630.
If you fall behind before the lower share starts, a One-Shot Deal is the City's emergency grant for arrears.
What Happens If You Don't Report
Unreported income is usually found at the next annual review, when agencies must check your file against HUD's Enterprise Income Verification system (24 CFR 5.233), and the result is a debt, a repayment agreement, or termination.
| Agency | Repayment | When it ends the voucher |
|---|---|---|
| NYCHA | May offer an agreement if you owe less than $25,000, with a down payment and a monthly amount capped at 40% of adjusted income | Breaking the agreement, misstating income, or not answering an income-discrepancy inquiry within ten days |
| HPD | May offer an agreement only if the debt can be repaid in under five years; the Plan also names a $5,000 cutoff | A second failure to report income, an overpayment at or over $5,000, or refusing or breaking an agreement |
| NYS HCR | You must reimburse subsidy overpaid because income was not reported | Refusing to repay, or breaking an agreement |
What it means: one missed report is normally a debt, and a repeat is what ends the subsidy. HPD cannot act on a database match until it verifies the income and you have had a chance to contest it.
Source: NYCHA Administrative Plan, sections XIX and XXVI; HPD Administrative Plan, sections 6.4.3, 17.2.2 and 17.3; HCR Administrative Plan, section 16-IV; 24 CFR 982.552.
Watch outCan you go to jail? Prosecution is possible but aimed at deliberate lying. Federal law punishes knowingly and willfully false statements with a fine and up to 5 years (18 U.S.C. 1001), and HPD may refer cases to the City's Department of Investigation. HPD's Plan also says a failure to report through misunderstanding "may be considered an error or omission and not fraud".
No agency publishes how often it refers cases. If a termination notice arrives, see how to appeal a Section 8 termination in NYC.
Timeline
A drop reported on time is backdated to the first of the next month; this hypothetical shows the dates for a job lost on March 10, 2027.
- March 10Last day of work.
- March 24HCR's deadline, 10 business days after the change.
- April 1The lower share starts at NYCHA and HCR if you report on time, and at HPD if you reported in March.
- April 9NYCHA's deadline, 30 days after the change.
- About 30 days after your reportThe federal rule says a review "generally should not be longer than 30 days". HCR commits to 30 days.
- 90 days after your reportHPD's deadline for complete documents. Miss it and the cut starts the month after they arrive.
What it means: NYCHA and HPD publish no processing time, so keep your upload confirmation or fax receipt.
Source: NYCHA Administrative Plan, section XIX.A; HPD Reporting Decrease in Income form; HCR Administrative Plan, section 11-II.D; 24 CFR 982.516(c)(1).
Frequently Asked Questions
My hours change every week. What do I report?
It depends on the agency. For a mid-year review, agencies estimate your income for the next 12 months.
- NYCHA: all income changes within 30 days, with no minimum amount
- HPD: raises are not required before your annual review
- NYS HCR: every change; small raises are added together
I got a small raise. Do I really have to report it?
At NYCHA and HCR, yes. At HPD, the Plan and FAQ say you report it at your next annual recertification.
- NYCHA: within 30 days
- NYS HCR: within 10 business days; a raise under 10% is noted without changing your share
Will my landlord see my income documents?
No. HUD's consent form says private owners "may not request or receive" the income information it covers.
- What the landlord gets: a notice of the new split. At NYCHA it is the Voucher Payment Change Notification, showing the contract rent, your share and the subsidy.
What if I disagree with the new rent calculation?
You can ask for an informal hearing on how the agency determined your income and used it to set the subsidy (24 CFR 982.555).
- Deadline: printed on your notice
- Free legal help: the Legal Aid Society, 212-577-3300
Does unemployment or SSDI count as income?
Yes to both. Neither is on the federal list of excluded income.
- Unemployment: report it when it starts and again when it ends
- SSI: NYCHA's FAQ says it must be reported for every household member
How often is my income checked?
At least once a year, by your agency rather than HUD.
- How: at each annual recertification, matched against HUD's verification system
My income dropped and the apartment is unaffordable even with the reduction. Can I move?
Yes, with your agency's approval first. See getting a Section 8 transfer voucher in NYC, and browse apartments that accept Section 8.
Contact Information
Call the agency named on your subsidy letters.
| Agency | Phone | Online | In person |
|---|---|---|---|
| NYCHA | Customer Contact Center, 718-707-7771, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm | selfserve.nycha.info | Walk-in centers at 787 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn and 1 Fordham Plaza, Bronx, weekdays 8 am to 5 pm |
| HPD | Client Services, 917-286-4300 | Document Upload Portal; DTRIncomeDecrease@hpd.nyc.gov | 100 Gold Street, Manhattan, weekdays 9 am to 4 pm |
| NYS HCR | Portal call center, 833-791-2748, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm; New York City office, 212-480-6672 | MyHousing Portal | Subsidy Services Bureau, 25 Beaver Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10004 |
What it means: HPD publishes office hours but no phone hours.
Source: NYCHA tenant FAQ and Customer Contact Center page; HPD About Section 8; HCR Section 8 page.
Resources
- NYCHA: Reporting Changes to Income and Family Composition
- HPD Reporting Decrease in Income form
- NYCHA Section 8 annual recertification, step by step
Next step: find your agency's row in the first table, send the report today, and save proof of the date. If the rent still does not work, browse voucher-friendly listings.
Sources for this article (30)
- Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan (nyc.gov)
- Administrative Plan (nyc.gov)
- Administrative Plan Version 2026-2 (hcr.ny.gov)
- 24 CFR 982.516 (ecfr.gov)
- Section 8 FAQ (nyc.gov)
- rights and responsibilities page (nyc.gov)
- 24 CFR 5.609 (ecfr.gov)
- selfserve.nycha.info (selfserve.nycha.info)
- interim recertification portal guide (www1.nyc.gov)
- Reporting Changes page (nyc.gov)
- Reporting Decrease in Income form (nyc.gov)
- Document Upload Portal (a806-asap.nyc.gov)
- Section 8 Forms page (nyc.gov)
- upload portal guide (nyc.gov)
- MyHousing Portal (section8.hcr.ny.gov)
- MyHousing Resident Portal FAQ (hcr.ny.gov)
- Annual and Interim Recertification Checklist (nyc.gov)
- 24 CFR 5.628 (ecfr.gov)
- HUD Notice PIH 2026-15 (hud.gov)
- 24 CFR 982.455 (ecfr.gov)
- 24 CFR 5.630 (ecfr.gov)
- 24 CFR 5.233 (ecfr.gov)
- 24 CFR 982.552 (ecfr.gov)
- 18 U.S.C. 1001 (govinfo.gov)
- 24 CFR 982.555 (ecfr.gov)
- Legal Aid Society (legalaidnyc.org)
- NYCHA tenant FAQ (nyc.gov)
- Customer Contact Center page (nyc.gov)
- HPD About Section 8 (nyc.gov)
- HCR Section 8 page (hcr.ny.gov)
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