HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER (Section 8) PROGRAM WAITLIST REOPENING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

1) What is the Housing Choice Voucher Program?

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) administers the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program, also known as Section 8, which provides rental subsidies for eligible low-income families so they can rent decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Eligible families receive a voucher to search for housing within a neighborhood of their choice and rent a unit from a participating landlord. Families pay a reasonable share of their income toward rent, and the program provides a subsidy to cover the difference.

2) How do I apply for the HCV Program?

The fastest and most efficient way to apply for the HCV Program is online. The application will be available online at on.nyc.gov/section8-application from Monday, June 3, 2024, at 12:00 AM, through Sunday, June 9, 2024, at 11:59 PM. All applicants have equal opportunity of getting placed on the waitlist regardless of when their application was received.

The online application may be accessed from a computer, smartphone, or tablet with internet access; if you do not have internet access, you may visit a local library.

3) How do I request a paper application?

The fastest and easiest way to apply is online. Paper applications will only be made available as a reasonable accommodation. You can request a reasonable accommodation from Monday, June 3, 2024, through Friday, June 7, 2024 (8 AM to 5 PM) by calling (718) 218-1525 to have an application mailed to you or by visiting one of the locations below to get an application in person:

Brooklyn Customer Contact Center                     Bronx Customer Contact Center

787 Atlantic Avenue, 2nd FL                               478 East Fordham Road, 2nd FL

Brooklyn, NY 11238                                           Bronx, NY 10458

The paper application must be postmarked by Friday, June 28, 2024, and sent only by US Mail to the address on the application.

4) What does a Section 8 application priority code mean?

NYCHA has a priority system that ranks each applicant based on predetermined preference categories using the information that is given on the application.

5) What are the HCV waitlist preferences?

Preferences, in order of priority, are:

1. Mobility impaired and residing in inaccessible housing
2. Elderly persons (62 years of age and older) and persons with disabilities
3. All other applicants

 6) What are HCV income limits for applicants?

You may be eligible if your family's annual gross income does not exceed the following income limits:

7) Are current NYCHA (public housing) residents or applicants eligible to apply?

Yes. The waitlist is open to all members of the public.

8) Do I need to be a New York City resident to apply for the HCV Program?

No. The HCV Program does not have a residency requirement.

9) How do I update my application after I submitted it during the application period?

You can update your contact (e.g., email and mailing addresses) and household information on NYCHA’s Self-Service Portal (selfserve.nycha.info). If you do not have an account, click “Register” on the Portal’s login page and create an account.

If you need to update your name, Social Security number, and/or date of birth, please call NYCHA’s HCV Application Hotline at (718) 218-1525 for assistance.

10) How long will it take to complete the online Section 8 application?

On average, the application will take about 20 minutes to complete.

11) What information is required to complete the Section 8 application?

12) What are the eligible immigration statuses that can apply for the Section 8 Program?

Eligibility for Federal housing assistance is limited to U.S. citizens and noncitizens who have eligible immigration status. Families in which all members are U.S. citizens or have eligible immigration status are eligible for housing assistance.

Families in which at least one member is a U.S. citizen or has eligible immigration status may also be eligible for pro-rated assistance. A family in which some family members have eligible immigration status, and some do not contend eligible immigration status, is called a mixed family. Mixed families receive prorated assistance based on the percentage of family members who qualify for assistance.

• An individual who is not a U.S. citizen or national who is a resident of the U.S. and has any of the following immigration statuses is eligible for assistance:
• A non-citizen lawfully admitted for permanent residence as an immigrant (includes special agricultural workers granted lawful temporary resident status and noncitizens that indicate they have satisfactory immigration status, such as VAWA self-petitioners, whose verification of eligibility or appeal of a determination as to permanent residence is pending with DHS).
• A non-citizen who entered the United States before 1/1/72 (or such later date as enacted by law) and:
  • Has continuously maintained residence in the U.S. since then; and
  • Is not ineligible for citizenship, but who is deemed to be lawfully admitted for permanent residence as a result of an exercise of discretion by the Attorney General.
  • A non-citizen who is lawfully present in the United States as a result of:
  • Refugee status, including:

1) Those granted Temporary Protective Status (TPS) under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-386) (section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)) – these families have a “T” visa; or

2) The granting of asylum (which has not been terminated (section 208); or

3) The granting of conditional entry (section 203 (a)(7)) prior to 4/1/80 because of persecution of fear on account of race, religion, or political opinion, or because of being uprooted by catastrophic national calamity. • A non-citizen who is lawfully present in the United States as a result of an exercise of discretion by the Attorney General for emergent reasons or reasons deemed strictly in the public interest (section 221(d)(5)) (e.g., parole status).

• A non-citizen who is lawfully present in the United States as a result of the Attorney General's’ withholding deportation (section 243(h)) (threat to life or freedom).
• A non-citizen lawfully admitted for temporary or permanent residence (245A) (amnesty granted).
• An alien who is lawfully residing in the United States and its territories and possessions under section 141 of the Compacts of Free Association between the Government of the United States and the Governments of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia (48 U.S.C. 1901 note) and Palau (48 U.S.C. 1931 note) while the applicable section is in effect: Provided, That, within Guam any such alien shall not be entitled to a preference in receiving assistance under this Act over any United States citizen or national resident therein who is otherwise eligible for such assistance.

Source: HCV_Guidebook_Eligibility_Determination_and_Denial_of_Assistance.pdf (hud.gov)

The following information is required to complete the application:

• Household Information (All Members)
  • First, middle, and last name
  • Date of birth
  • Social Security Number (SSN) or confirmation one was never issued
  • Demographic information (e.g., sex, race, and ethnicity)
  • Disability status
• Head of Household Information
  • First, middle, and last name
  • Date of birth
  • Social Security Number (SSN) or confirmation one was never issued
  • Demographic information (e.g., sex, race, and ethnicity)
  • Disability status
  • Contact information (e.g., mailing address, email, telephone number, and preferred language)
  • Family size
  • Total annual gross income for the entire household
  • Pregnancy status for any household member (including due date)
  • Criminal and sex offender status for household members
  • Eviction history and dates, if applicable
  • Reason for applying
• Emergency Contact
  • Contact information (e.g., email, mailing address, telephone number, and relationship)

13) Do I need to submit documentation for my application?

No. Documentation is not required to be submitted with the application. If you are selected to be placed on the waitlist and then contacted for an eligibility interview, additional documentation will be requested at that time.  

14) Whom can I contact for assistance?

For more information about how to apply, please visit our website at on.nyc.gov/section8-application or scan the QR code.

If you have a hearing or speaking disability, please contact NYCHA’s Services for People with Disabilities Unit at (212) 306-4652 or TTY (212) 306-4845.

If you have additional questions, please call NYCHA’s HCV Application Hotline at (718) 218-1525.

15) How do I know my place on the waitlist?

The waitlist is expected to be established by August 1, 2024. Once the waitlist is established, applicants will be notified and can check the status of their application via NYCHA’s Self-Service Portal (selfserve.nycha.info). We will begin to call applicants off the waitlist then. The waitlist status will not be available before August 1, 2024.

16) Is everyone eligible for the HCV (Section 8) Program?

No. Section 8 is intended for low-income families that fit the following criteria:

• Head of household is 18 years of age or older (or declared an “emancipated minor”);
• At least one member of the family is a U.S. citizen or non-citizen with eligible immigration status; and
• The household’s gross income is 50 percent or below the area median income (AMI) [see the income limit chart above].

17) What are the steps in the application process?

Once the application period closes, NYCHA will randomly place 200,000 applications on the waitlist. Submitting an application does not guarantee the application will be placed on the waitlist.

If your application is selected for placement on the waitlist, and you are selected from the waitlist, NYCHA will contact you to provide additional information to complete the application process. This involves providing additional information such as vital income, assets, and expense documentation. We will also conduct a criminal background check on all family members who are 16 years of age and older. Then we will schedule you for an eligibility interview. If you meet the criteria, you will be issued a Housing Choice Voucher and get briefed on the program. 

18) Will I be required to update my application?

It is important that NYCHA has your most up-to-date information. You must update your application on NYCHA’s Self-Service Portal (selfserve.nycha.info) – which is accessible online using a computer, smartphone, or tablet – by the deadline indicated in the Application Renewal letter NYCHA will send you every two years. Doing so will indicate that you are still interested in the program and would like to remain on the waitlist. 

19) What can I do to expedite my application?

NYCHA cannot expedite applications at the request of an individual or third party.

20) What can I expect after I receive my voucher?

A voucher is issued if an applicant is found eligible during the Section 8 eligibility interview process. If found eligible, NYCHA will issue a Housing Choice Voucher. Once issued, you must sign your voucher and begin your search for an apartment. The voucher is valid for 180 days after. This includes an initial term of 120 days plus a 60-day extension. Additional requests for voucher extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis through reasonable accommodation requests.

21) How much would I contribute toward rent if selected for this program?

Generally, HCV participants contribute 30 percent of their monthly gross income towards rent. To learn more about the program, please visit our Section 8 page at on.nyc.gov/section8-tenants.

22) What is the impact to those currently on the Section 8 waitlist?

There is no impact to households currently on NYCHA’s Section 8 waitlist. NYCHA will continue to assign vouchers (when they become available) using the existing waitlist and will add 200,000 randomly selected applications to the waitlist.