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VoucherMatch

Practice guides & templates

Housing resources
for caseworkers.

Help a client prepare for a housing search, put a rental packet together or follow up when something stalls.

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Start with the task

What are you working on?

Before the next step

Keep three details in view.

  • 01Program and administering agency
  • 02Search expiration or notice deadline
  • 03Client’s permission to share information

Resource library

Find what you need for the case.

Browse by task, choose a program or search for a specific question. Each resource shows where its guidance applies.

21 of 21 resources

Prepare a client

Identify the program and gather the records needed for the next step.

Plan the search, document contacts and prepare a request for more time.

Rental paperwork

Check the proposed unit, owner documents and agency submission process.

Notices & delays

Use the notice, program and agency to find the appropriate response.

NYC-specific guidance is labeled. For another location, confirm the requirements with the agency administering the client’s assistance.

Save a starting point

Letters and search records.

Editable VoucherMatch templates for common requests. Use the agency’s own form whenever it requires one.

Before sending, replace the placeholders, confirm the facts and keep a dated copy.

Official forms and instructions

Start with the right program.

A Section 8 voucher, a CityFHEPS shopping letter and a HASA case follow different processes.

CityFHEPS

NYC-administered · New York State rentals

Use the shopping letter and HRA’s current document checklist. A shopping letter is not final approval for an apartment. Shelter and community pathways differ, including who submits the packet. For rentals outside NYC, use HRA’s statewide instructions.

HRA forms & documentsOfficial CityFHEPS Road Map

FHEPS

New York City · HRA

FHEPS has its own eligibility and documentation requirements. Use HRA’s FHEPS instructions and forms when preparing a rental packet or helping a family stay in its home.

HRA FHEPS instructions

HASA

New York City · HRA

Coordinate housing assistance with the client’s HASA caseworker. ServiceLine is the entry point for applications and referrals. Confirm which housing documents the caseworker needs.

HRA HASA services & intake

Program reference checked . Open the agency’s current instructions before submitting.

Find a housing agency

When something stalls

Make the next request specific.

Keep the notice, submission receipt and contact history together. Record what is missing, who can resolve it and when you will follow up.

Browse notices and delays

The voucher search is running out of time

For Section 8, contact the PHA before the current expiration date. Explain the search history and any disability-related need for more time. Ask for the decision and applicable dates in writing.

Federal voucher-term rule

The packet has not moved forward

Confirm the program, submission date and proof of receipt. Ask which document, signature or review is outstanding and who is responsible for the next action.

CityFHEPS pathways and responsibilities

A notice or refusal needs a response

Read the program, decision and deadline on the notice. An inquiry to a caseworker is not a substitute for a required hearing or appeal request. For a voucher refusal, check the rules where the apartment is.

Voucher rights and complaint resources

For housing teams in NYC

Keep client work in one place.

Explore VoucherMatch’s caseworker workspace for client records, apartment searches and applications.

Explore the workspace

Common questions

Using these resources.

Follow the requirements of the receiving agency and the circumstances of the client’s case.

Are these resources only for NYC caseworkers?

No. National Section 8 resources and general templates can help with searches across the country. CityFHEPS, FHEPS, HASA and NYC agency procedures are labeled separately. For any client, follow the requirements of the agency administering the assistance.

Does a CityFHEPS shopping letter mean the apartment is approved?

No. The letter helps a potentially eligible household search. DSS still determines eligibility, and the proposed rental goes through the applicable documents, clearance and approval process. Work with the client’s shelter or community provider on the correct pathway.

HRA’s CityFHEPS client FAQ
Can I submit a template instead of an agency form?

Use the agency’s required form when there is one. These editable templates help organize a request or supporting letter; they do not replace program instructions or establish eligibility. Include accurate facts and only information the client has authorized you to share.

Does requesting more time stop the Section 8 voucher clock?

An extension request alone does not extend the term; the PHA grants an extension by notice. Separate federal rules require suspension of the term during review of a submitted request for tenancy approval. Ask the PHA to confirm the applicable dates in writing. Disability-related extensions have a separate reasonable-accommodation rule.

Read 24 CFR 982.303
Where should I send a client’s documents?

Use the receiving agency’s required submission channel and keep proof of submission. Confirm the recipient and the client’s authorization before sharing records. This resource page does not collect or submit client documents.

Sources and updates

Published by VoucherMatch. The program reference above was checked against the linked HUD, federal regulation and NYC HRA sources on October 14, 2026. Linked guides and templates retain their own review dates.

Agency forms and procedures can change. Use the official version for the client’s program, location and pathway.