Section 8 in Buffalo, NY: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, 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) | $1,178 | $1,060 to $1,296 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,203 | $1,083 to $1,323 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,423 | $1,281 to $1,565 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,732 | $1,559 to $1,905 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,977 | $1,779 to $2,175 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Buffalo is $1,423. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,281 to $1,565, 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 Buffalo
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro rose from $1,343 in FY2026 to $1,423 in FY2027, a change of +$80 a month (+6.0%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,105 | $1,178 | +$73 (+6.6%) |
| 1-bedroom | $1,139 | $1,203 | +$64 (+5.6%) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,343 | $1,423 | +$80 (+6.0%) |
| 3-bedroom | $1,640 | $1,732 | +$92 (+5.6%) |
| 4-bedroom | $1,869 | $1,977 | +$108 (+5.8%) |
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 Buffalo? 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 Buffalo
10 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Town of Amherst
Buffalo , NY · NY091 · 5,695 HCV units
7168847791 - Status unknown
City of Buffalo
Buffalo , NY · NY409 · 5,329 HCV units
7168820063 - Status unknown
City of Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls , NY · NY404 · 981 HCV units
7162868802 - Status unknown
City of North Tonawanda
Buffalo , NY · NY405 · 674 HCV units
7168847791 - Status unknown
Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority
Buffalo , NY · NY002 · 617 HCV units
7168556711 - Status unknown
Lockport Housing Authority
Lockport , NY · NY070 · 192 HCV units
7164340001 - Status unknown
Kenmore Municipal Housing Authority
Kenmore , NY · NY400
7168746000 - Status unknown
Lackawanna Municipal Housing Authority
Lackawanna , NY · NY029
7168232551 - Status unknown
Niagara Falls Housing Authority
Niagara Falls , NY · NY011
7162856961 - Status unknown
Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority
Buffalo , NY · NY449
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. 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 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 FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,423 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of that benchmark is roughly $1,281 to $1,565. 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 Buffalo?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,178, 1-bedroom $1,203, 2-bedroom $1,423, 3-bedroom $1,732, 4-bedroom $1,977. 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 Buffalo for FY2027?
- The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro went from $1,343 in FY2026 to $1,423 in FY2027, an increase of $80 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 Buffalo?
- Section 8 in Buffalo is administered by Town of Amherst, City of Buffalo, City of Niagara Falls 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 Buffalo
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.