Know Your Rights
Section 8 discrimination is illegal in NYC
It's Against the Law
In New York City, landlords cannot refuse to rent to you because you have a Section 8 voucher or any other lawful source of income. This is protected under the NYC Human Rights Law.
What Landlords Cannot Do
Refuse to rent because you have a voucher
Even if they say "we don't take Section 8" or "no programs"
Advertise "no Section 8" or "no vouchers"
This type of advertising is itself illegal
Require higher deposits or fees
Voucher holders must be treated the same as other applicants
Apply different screening criteria
Income requirements should count voucher value as income
Refuse to complete inspection paperwork
Landlords must cooperate with housing authority processes
Protected Voucher Types
The following sources of income are protected under NYC law:
If You Experience Discrimination
Document everything
Save emails, texts, voicemails, listing screenshots. Note dates, times, and what was said.
File a complaint with NYC Commission on Human Rights
Call 311 or visit nyc.gov/cchr. Complaints can be filed up to 3 years after the incident.
Contact a fair housing organization
Organizations like Fair Housing Justice Center provide free legal help.
Report to us
If the discrimination happened through VoucherMatch, report it immediately. We'll investigate and remove bad actors.