VoucherMatch

Section 8 in Buffalo, NY, NY: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities

Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area. FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, the housing authorities that run the program here, and whether landlords can legally refuse a voucher. Every figure comes straight from HUD data.

2-bedroom FMR (FY2026)
$1,343
HUD
Active vouchers
13,488
82% utilized
Housing authorities
10
serving this metro
Voucher protection
Protected
NY Human Rights Law §296(5)

Fair Market Rent by bedroom count

HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. Payment standards, the amount a PHA actually pays, are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at each PHA's discretion.

BedroomsFMRPayment standard (90 to 110%)
Efficiency (studio)$1,105$995 to $1,216
1-bedroom$1,139$1,025 to $1,253
2-bedroom$1,343$1,209 to $1,477
3-bedroom$1,640$1,476 to $1,804
4-bedroom$1,869$1,682 to $2,056

Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Buffalo covers up to $1,343 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $1,209 to $1,477.

Voucher demand in this metro

Active vouchers
13,488
Occupied
11,103
Utilization
82%

Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means most vouchers issued here are already placed in a unit, so landlords who accept vouchers fill vacancies from a deep, reliable applicant pool.

Housing authorities serving Buffalo

10 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.

  • Town of Amherst

    Buffalo , NY · NY091 · 5,695 HCV units

    Status unknown
    7168847791

  • City of Buffalo

    Buffalo , NY · NY409 · 5,329 HCV units

    Status unknown
    7168820063

  • City of Niagara Falls

    Niagara Falls , NY · NY404 · 981 HCV units

    Status unknown
    7162868802

  • City of North Tonawanda

    Buffalo , NY · NY405 · 674 HCV units

    Status unknown
    7168847791

  • Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority

    Buffalo , NY · NY002 · 617 HCV units

    Status unknown
    7168556711

  • Lockport Housing Authority

    Lockport , NY · NY070 · 192 HCV units

    Status unknown
    7164340001

  • Kenmore Municipal Housing Authority

    Kenmore , NY · NY400

    Status unknown
    7168746000

  • Lackawanna Municipal Housing Authority

    Lackawanna , NY · NY029

    Status unknown
    7168232551

  • Niagara Falls Housing Authority

    Niagara Falls , NY · NY011

    Status unknown
    7162856961

  • Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority

    Buffalo , NY · NY449

    Status unknown
    7168556711

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Buffalo, NY?

No. New York law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Buffalo, NY. If you were turned away for having a voucher, that refusal may be illegal.

NY Human Rights Law §296(5)

NY State Human Rights Law prohibits housing discrimination based on lawful source of income statewide (added by 2019 amendment). Enforcement by NYS Division of Human Rights. Post-Commons West (2024) enforcement in some counties is murky — see county-level notes.

View statute →

Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.

Counties in the Buffalo metro

County pages show the local voucher count, the housing authorities that serve it, and ZIP-level rent limits where HUD publishes them.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Buffalo?
In the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,343 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $1,209 to $1,477 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Buffalo?
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,105, 1-bedroom $1,139, 2-bedroom $1,343, 3-bedroom $1,640, 4-bedroom $1,869. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
How do I apply for Section 8 in Buffalo?
Section 8 in Buffalo is administered by Town of Amherst, City of Buffalo, City of Niagara Falls and other local housing authorities. Apply through the authority whose jurisdiction covers the address, as each runs its own waitlist. Once you have a voucher, search voucher-friendly units and apply on VoucherMatch.

Find Section 8 apartments in Buffalo

VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. Landlords: listings here reach applicants whose voucher already covers the rent above.

Browse voucher-friendly listingsList your unit free

Other Section 8 markets in NY

Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.