HPD vs NYCHA Section 8: Which NYC Agency Issued Your Voucher
Quick answerIn New York City, as of October 7, 2026, three agencies run Section 8: NYCHA, HPD (the Department of Housing Preservation and Development) and New York State HCR (Homes and Community Renewal). Yours is the agency named on your voucher and on the letterhead of your subsidy letters, and its rules apply to you. The three differ on payment standards, search time (180, 120 and 60 days), bedroom size, hearing deadlines and portals.
- 3 agenciesNYCHA, HPD and NYS HCR each run a separate Section 8 program in the five boroughs
- 180, 120, 60 daysfirst search term on a NYCHA, an HPD and an HCR voucher
- August 1, 2025NYCHA paused issuing vouchers to its general waitlist, and the pause is still posted
- July 1, 2026NYCHA stopped using exception ZIP code payment standards; HPD still uses them
- 30 calendar days, 10 business daystime to ask for a termination hearing at HPD and at HCR
- 718-707-7771, 917-286-4300, 212-480-6672NYCHA, HPD and HCR
Which agency issued my Section 8 voucher?
The agency's name is on the voucher itself and on every letter about your subsidy. Work down this list until one step answers it.
- 1Read the voucherHUD's voucher form (HUD-52646) has a box, item 7, for the "Name of Public Housing Agency (PHA)". The agency written there issued it.
- 2Read the letterheadThe City's own checklist says that if you are not sure who administers your voucher, check the letterhead on any correspondence about your subsidy.
- 3Check where you log inselfserve.nycha.info is NYCHA. The DTR Portal on nyc.gov is HPD. The MyHousing Portal at section8.hcr.ny.gov, opened with a NY.gov ID, is HCR.
- 4Check the name of the noticeA "Rent Breakdown Letter" comes from HPD. A "Voucher Payment Change Notification" or a T-1 or T-3 notice comes from NYCHA.
- 5Still not sure, NYCHA or HPD?The City's checklist says to call HPD at 917-286-4300 or NYCHA's Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771. HCR's New York City office is 212-480-6672.
What it means: the name on the paper decides everything else on this page, so find it before you call anyone or sign anything.
Sources: form HUD-52646 (04/2023); City of New York, HPD Section 8 documentation checklist (September 29, 2020); agency pages cited in the next three sections. Diagram compiled by VoucherMatch, checked October 7, 2026.
Watch outA shelter referral does not tell you which agency issued the voucher.How you got the voucher is not a reliable test. A referral from a shelter can lead to either city agency: HPD takes homeless households referred by a City agency, and NYCHA's plan keeps its list open for homeless referrals from a City agency too (plan, section IV.A).
NYCHA Section 8
NYCHA, the New York City Housing Authority, runs the largest Section 8 program in the country: approximately 107,979 vouchers and over 26,933 owners, by its own undated count (About Section 8).
- Portal. you log in to the Self-Service Portal, and your landlord uses the Owner Extranet
- Notices. the yearly result is a Voucher Payment Change Notification; termination notices are called TW-1, T-1 and T-3
- Phone on your letters. the Customer Contact Center, 718-707-7771
- Recertification. done online, with the first notice 150 days ahead; the NYCHA tenant recertification walkthrough explains the forms, supporting documents, status checks and missed-deadline steps.
NYCHA does not post its notices online. The notice names come from its Administrative Plan and from the City's caseworker guide.
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HPD Section 8
HPD is a City housing agency whose Division of Tenant Resources runs a second, smaller program for specific groups. HPD says it serves over 39,000 households across all its rental subsidies, 80 percent of them through Section 8, with over 9,000 landlords (About Section 8).
HPD's plan says NYCHA's program is available to all low-income households that qualify, while HPD's "is intended to serve specific categories" of households affected by HPD or other government programs.
- Portal. you upload documents to the DTR Portal; owners use the DTR Owner Portal at the same address
- Notices. a Rent Breakdown Letter sets the rent split; a termination starts with a "Pre-Termination Notice of Section 8 Non-Compliance"
- Office and phone. Division of Tenant Resources, 100 Gold Street, Manhattan; Client Services, 917-286-4300
- Recertification. a paper package, mailed 90 to 120 days ahead
HPD also runs subsidies that are not Section 8, such as Mod Rehab, NYC 15/15 and Continuum of Care programs. Its contact page says that if you are not sure which type of subsidy you have, Client Services will tell you.
Watch outUse HPD's Housing Choice Voucher plan for Section 8 rules.HPD publishes two administrative plans. Section 8 rules are in the Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan of April 15, 2025. The "Rental Subsidy Program (RSP) Administrative Plan" on the same page covers other programs.
HCR Section 8
HCR is the State housing agency, and in New York City it administers Section 8 directly through its Subsidy Services Bureau at 25 Beaver Street (HCR, Subsidy Services Bureau). Elsewhere in the state it works through local administrators, which is why much of HCR's website and plan is written for county offices.
- Portal. the MyHousing Portal, opened with a NY.gov ID; its application page is headed "NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation"
- Office and phone. Subsidy Services Bureau, 212-480-6672; portal Call Center, 833-791-2748
- Recertification. online in MyHousing; HCR sends case questions to your case manager
HCR does not publish the number of vouchers it administers in New York City, and no sample of its New York City notices was found on its pages.
The Three Section 8 Agencies in NYC
All three run the same federal program in the same five boroughs, and each writes its own local rules. HPD's plan says the three "maintain separate funding contracts with HUD and are not obligated to maintain the same discretionary policies and procedures" (section 18.3). The table sets the rules side by side; the last column names the VoucherMatch guide that covers each row in full.
| NYCHA | HPD | NYS HCR | Full guide | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How it takes applications | General waitlist, last opened by lottery June 3 to 9, 2024. Still takes VASH and Stability Voucher referrals; the plan keeps the list open for four referral categories | Never from the public directly. Only through HPD programs and homeless households referred by a City agency (plan 3.1, 4.1) | Lottery pre-applications in the MyHousing Portal; one combined list for the five boroughs | How to get a housing voucher in NYC |
| Waiting list on October 7, 2026 | "Currently closed to new applicants." Voucher issuance to the general list paused since August 1, 2025 | No open or closed statement is published | Lottery window of July 13 to 24, 2026 has closed. The Bureau's page says the city list is closed | NYC Section 8 waitlist status |
| Payment standard, 2 bedroom | $2,997 for new rentals and transfers, $3,058 at annual recertification, effective January 1, 2026. One citywide schedule since exception ZIP codes ended July 1, 2026 | $3,027, effective January 1, 2024. Exception ZIP codes still used, up to $4,543 | No New York City schedule is posted | NYC payment standards; NYCHA amounts |
| Voucher search term | 180 days: 120 plus an automatic 60 (plan X.B) | 120 calendar days (plan 7.2.2) | 60 calendar days (plan 5-II.E) | Voucher extensions |
| Bedroom size | One bedroom for a single person; two people of the same sex share one (plan XI) | One bedroom per person; married or partnered adults share (plan 7.2.4) | One bedroom for 1 to 2 people, two for 2 to 4 (plan 5-II.B) | Voucher size by agency |
| Inspections | Before move-in, then every two years; yearly after a failed one. NSPIRE standards by February 1, 2027 (plan XII) | At least every two years under the plan (8.11); HPD's web page says annually | NSPIRE inspection before the lease and at least every 24 months (plan 8-II) | NYC inspection checklist; HPD inspections |
| Online portal | Self-Service Portal for tenants; Owner Extranet for owners | DTR Portal for tenant uploads; DTR Owner Portal for owners | MyHousing Portal for applicants, residents and landlords | NYCHA Owner Extranet |
| Annual recertification | Notice 150 days ahead; filed in the Self-Service Portal (plan XVIII) | Package 90 to 120 days ahead; due on the printed date or within 30 calendar days (plan 13.1) | Starts 90 to 120 days ahead; filed in MyHousing | Annual recertification in NYC |
| Moving within the city | Voluntary moves must be cost-neutral since May 1, 2026 | Eligible to apply once every 12 months | No New York City instructions are published | Section 8 transfers in NYC |
| Porting in from elsewhere | Bills the sending agency since August 1, 2025 | May bill or absorb | No New York City contact for incoming families is published | Porting into NYC |
| Termination hearing deadline | Printed on the notice. The City's guide gives 20 days after a T-1 and 45 days after a T-3 | In writing within 30 calendar days of the date on the notice (plan 16.3.4) | In writing within 10 business days of the notice (plan 16-III) | Appealing a termination |
| Broker fee | Paid only as a reasonable accommodation for a disability (plan XV.J) | "Tenants are required to pay for their own" | Nothing found in HCR's plan or pages | Voucher broker fees |
What it means: a rule you read for one agency does not carry over to another, so match every deadline and dollar figure to the name on your voucher.
Sources, all read October 7, 2026: NYCHA Applicants, payment standards, Portability and 2024 lottery release pages and Administrative Plan (effective May 2026); HPD payment standards, exception values, inspections, Section 8 FAQ, Move FAQ and Administrative Plan (April 15, 2025); HCR Housing Choice Voucher page and Administrative Plan Version 2026-2 (October 1, 2026); NYC311 on the HCR lottery.
Three limits on the HCR column. Its plan is statewide and written for local administrators. It says new policies take effect 60 calendar days after publication, and VoucherMatch did not compare it with the earlier version. HCR's lottery notice sits under a project-based heading and prints no year; the year and the "New York City Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Waitlist Lottery" name come from NYC311.
Key Differences That Matter
The differences that change a household's outcome are search time, the payment standard and the hearing deadline. Search time is the widest gap.
View the data table
| Agency | Days to find a unit |
|---|---|
| NYCHA | 180 |
| HPD | 120 |
| NYS HCR | 60 |
What it means: an HCR voucher gives a third of NYCHA's search time before any extension, so an HCR household should ask about more time in the first weeks. HPD's undated Move FAQ gives 240 days for a move voucher; the date printed on your own voucher controls.
Source: NYCHA Administrative Plan, section X.B (effective May 2026); HPD Administrative Plan, section 7.2.2 (April 15, 2025); HCR Administrative Plan Version 2026-2, section 5-II.E (October 1, 2026).
For Tenants
Four things depend on the agency before you sign a lease.
- The rent it will pay. NYCHA and HPD post different schedules, and HPD's is higher in exception ZIP codes
- Voucher size. each plan gives a single adult one bedroom; larger households come out differently
- Moves. NYCHA limits voluntary moves to apartments that cost the same or less
- Emergencies. NYCHA and HPD each publish an emergency move process; the emergency transfer guide lists the forms
Income changes go to the same agency, each with its own deadline; see how to report an income change.
For Landlords
One building can hold tenants from all three programs, and each tenant's agency sets your paperwork, inspector and payment.
- NYCHAelectronic payment only, with funds available on the first of the month (NYCHA Owners page)
- HPDcheck or electronic transfer; the plan has the Comptroller's Office mail checks on the first of the month (plan 11.3.1)
- NYS HCRlandlords see issued payments in the MyHousing Portal; no payment day is published
How Section 8 landlords get paid in NYC has the first-payment timing for each.
What Landlords Need to Know
Ask which agency issued the voucher before anything else, then read the name off the voucher.
- Which portal takes the rental package
- Which payment standard caps the subsidy at that address
- Who inspects, and under which schedule
- Where a rent increase request goes
The city's source-of-income law covers every voucher. The Commission on Human Rights says it reaches most rentals "regardless of number of units in the property," with exceptions for small owner-occupied buildings and units not publicly advertised (NYC CCHR). Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in NYC? covers the law.
What Tenants Need to Know
A voucher's value does depend on the agency, because the payment standard and the bedroom size both do.
ExampleA 2 bedroom voucher used for a new rental in ZIP code 10003. NYCHA's standard is $2,997. HPD's exception standard for that ZIP code is $4,543. The difference, $1,546 a month, is VoucherMatch's subtraction from the two posted schedules. The rent must still pass each agency's rent reasonableness test.
Take questions about your case to your own agency. The City's checklist gives the same advice: identify the agency first, then call it.
NYCHA, HPD and HCR Section 8 contacts
Each agency has one main phone line and one office for Section 8.
- NYCHACustomer Contact Center, 718-707-7771, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Walk-in centers: 478 East Fordham Road (1 Fordham Plaza), 2nd Floor, Bronx, and 787 Atlantic Avenue, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, same hours. Port-ins: S8Portability@nycha.nyc.gov
- HPDClient Services, 917-286-4300. Office at 100 Gold Street, Manhattan, weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Forms: DTRAI@hpd.nyc.gov. Owners: S8Landlords@hpd.nyc.gov. Moves and portability: Portability@hpd.nyc.gov. HPD says email is the best way to reach its staff
- NYS HCRSubsidy Services Bureau, 25 Beaver Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10004, 212-480-6672. MyHousing Portal Call Center, 833-791-2748, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sources: NYCHA contact page; HPD About Section 8; HCR Subsidy Services Bureau and HCR Housing Choice Voucher page. HPD publishes no phone hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HPD Section 8 the same as NYCHA Section 8?
It is the same federal Housing Choice Voucher program, run by a different agency under its own local rules.
- The same: the tenant typically pays about 30 percent of income, and the agency pays the owner the rest
- Different: every row of the comparison table above
Can I switch from one agency to another?
No transfer procedure between the three was found in any of the plans read.
- What HPD's plan says: households "can apply for vouchers from both programs but may receive assistance from only one agency"
- Moving out of the city: that is portability, covered in Section 8 transfer to another state
Are payment standards different between agencies?
Yes. NYCHA's 2026 schedule and HPD's 2024 schedule differ at every bedroom size.
- HPD: adds exception ZIP codes
- HCR: posts no New York City schedule
- Full schedules: NYC payment standards
Is the NYCHA, HPD or HCR Section 8 waiting list open?
None was taking applications from the general public on the pages checked October 7, 2026.
- NYCHA: list closed to new applicants
- HPD: no direct applications from the public
- HCR: the July 2026 lottery window has closed; how Section 8 lotteries work explains what follows a lottery
What if my voucher was issued by another state's PHA and I moved to NYC?
Key pointWhere more than one agency serves an area, federal rules let the family choose the receiving agency (24 CFR 982.355). In the city that is NYCHA, HPD or HCR.
Resources
- NYCHA: About Section 8 and Owners
- HPD: About Section 8 and the DTR Owner Portal page
- NYS HCR: Housing Choice Voucher program and Subsidy Services Bureau
Next step: find the agency name on your voucher or your last subsidy letter and write it, with that agency's phone number, on the folder where you keep your Section 8 papers.
Looking for an apartment? Browse Section 8 apartments in NYC and all voucher-friendly listings. Renting to voucher holders? List your property on VoucherMatch.
How this article was checked
Last checked: October 7, 2026, against NYCHA's Section 8 pages and its Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan (effective May 2026), HPD's Section 8 pages and its Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan (April 15, 2025), HCR's Subsidy Services Bureau and Housing Choice Voucher pages and its Administrative Plan Version 2026-2 (October 1, 2026), HUD's voucher form HUD-52646, and NYC311.
Sources for this article (28)
- form HUD-52646 (hud.gov)
- City of New York, HPD Section 8 documentation checklist (nyc.gov)
- About Section 8 (nyc.gov)
- Self-Service Portal (selfserve.nycha.info)
- Administrative Plan (nyc.gov)
- caseworker guide (nyc.gov)
- About Section 8 (nyc.gov)
- DTR Portal (a806-asap.nyc.gov)
- Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan (nyc.gov)
- HCR, Subsidy Services Bureau (hcr.ny.gov)
- MyHousing Portal (section8.hcr.ny.gov)
- Applicants (nyc.gov)
- payment standards (nyc.gov)
- Portability (nyc.gov)
- 2024 lottery release (nyc.gov)
- payment standards (nyc.gov)
- exception values (nyc.gov)
- inspections (nyc.gov)
- Section 8 FAQ (nyc.gov)
- Move FAQ (nyc.gov)
- Housing Choice Voucher page (hcr.ny.gov)
- Administrative Plan Version 2026-2 (hcr.ny.gov)
- NYC311 on the HCR lottery (portal.311.nyc.gov)
- NYCHA Owners page (nyc.gov)
- NYC CCHR (nyc.gov)
- NYCHA contact page (nyc.gov)
- 24 CFR 982.355 (ecfr.gov)
- DTR Owner Portal page (nyc.gov)
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