Section 8 in Utica, NY: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Utica-Rome, NY metro area. FY2027 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.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
HUD rent benchmarks for FY2027, effective October 1, 2026. These are not adopted housing-authority payment standards or household subsidy amounts. The illustration shows 90% to 110% of FMR; ZIP-based schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules can differ.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Illustration: 90% to 110% of FMR |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $857 | $771 to $943 |
| 1-bedroom | $946 | $851 to $1,041 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,210 | $1,089 to $1,331 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,442 | $1,298 to $1,586 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,636 | $1,472 to $1,800 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Utica is $1,210. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,089 to $1,331, not an approval range. Gross rent includes the applicable allowance for tenant-paid utilities. Your agency must calculate assistance using its adopted standard, your household and the proposed unit.
What changed from FY2026 to FY2027 in Utica
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Utica-Rome, NY metro rose from $1,172 in FY2026 to $1,210 in FY2027, a change of +$38 a month (+3.2%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $899 | $857 | -$42 (-4.7%) |
| 1-bedroom | $926 | $946 | +$20 (+2.2%) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,172 | $1,210 | +$38 (+3.2%) |
| 3-bedroom | $1,405 | $1,442 | +$37 (+2.6%) |
| 4-bedroom | $1,623 | $1,636 | +$13 (+0.8%) |
The FMR is not what the voucher pays. Each housing authority sets its own payment standard. The basic range is 90% to 110% of the applicable FMR or SAFMR, with exceptions and Moving to Work policies that may differ. A HUD effective date is not a household rent-change notice. Confirm the adopted schedule and its application to your lease or reexamination with your agency.
Already renting with a voucher in Utica? Under standard HCV rules, once the housing authority raises its payment standard, the higher amount must be used for your subsidy no later than the earliest of three dates: a rent increase that would raise your share, your next regular or interim reexamination, or one year after the increase took effect (24 CFR 982.505(c)(4)). Confirm any applicable Moving to Work policy with your agency.
Landlords: a higher FMR does not raise a contract rent by itself. You still request the increase from the housing authority, and the new rent has to pass its rent reasonableness review against comparable unassisted units.
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 and FY2027, huduser.gov.
Voucher demand in this metro
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 Utica
9 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
City of Utica
Utica , NY · NY443 · 1,292 HCV units
3157920199 - Status unknown
Rome Housing Authority
Rome , NY · NY034 · 855 HCV units
3153372600 - Status unknown
Village of New Hartford
Utica , NY · NY552 · 419 HCV units
3155254058 - Status unknown
Utica Housing Authority
Utica , NY · NY006 · 369 HCV units
3157355246 - Status unknown
Herkimer Housing Authority
Herkimer , NY · NY019 · 221 HCV units
3158662252 - Status unknown
Ilion Housing Authority
Ilion , NY · NY059 · 154 HCV units
3158942159 - Status unknown
Little Falls Housing Authority
Little Falls , NY · NY109 · 145 HCV units
3158232540 - Status unknown
Boonville Housing Authority
Boonville , NY · NY534 · 34 HCV units
3159425447 - Status unknown
Dolgeville Housing Authority
Dolgeville , NY · NY417 · 23 HCV units
3154299548
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Utica, NY?
No. New York law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Utica, 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. In People v Commons West (App. Div. 3d Dept., March 5, 2026) the court held the provision facially unconstitutional to the extent it bars refusing Section 8 vouchers; the Attorney General has appealed to the Court of Appeals. NYC's own Human Rights Law was not before the court. 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 Utica 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 Utica?
- In the Utica-Rome, NY metro, the FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,210 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $1,089 to $1,331. This is not an adopted payment standard or subsidy quote. ZIP schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules may differ. Gross rent includes the applicable allowance for tenant-paid utilities.
- What are the FY2027 Fair Market Rents in Utica?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Utica-Rome, NY metro, by bedroom size: studio $857, 1-bedroom $946, 2-bedroom $1,210, 3-bedroom $1,442, 4-bedroom $1,636. These are HUD benchmarks, not household subsidy amounts. Confirm whether your agency uses ZIP-based standards and which schedule applies to your unit.
- Did Section 8 rent limits change in Utica for FY2027?
- The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Utica-Rome, NY metro went from $1,172 in FY2026 to $1,210 in FY2027, an increase of $38 a month. FY2027 Fair Market Rents took effect on October 1, 2026. HUD's effective date does not automatically change a household's assistance. Ask your administering agency which adopted schedule and effective date apply to a new lease, move or reexamination.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in Utica?
- Section 8 in Utica is administered by City of Utica, Rome Housing Authority, Village of New Hartford and other local housing authorities. Each agency has its own application process, waiting lists and preferences. You may apply to more than one agency when eligible lists are open; a listing inquiry is not a voucher application. If you already have a voucher, confirm the receiving agency and any portability requirements for the proposed address.
Find Section 8 apartments in Utica
VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. The administering housing authority must approve the actual unit, rent and household assistance calculation.
Other Section 8 markets in NY
Rent limits from HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.