The federal Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, more commonly known as Section 8, was created in 1983 to help low-income, elderly, and disabled people afford private market-rate housing. Participating households receive vouchers that function as a subsidy on a rental unit of their choice.

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) administers the largest Section 8 program in the country, with approximately 85,000 vouchers and over 25,000 property owners participating. According to StreetEasy® data, 12,193 homes were affordable to New Yorkers with Section 8 vouchers in January and February of 2023, equivalent to about 28 percent of the citywide rental inventory. During the same period in 2022 there were 9,361 NYC homes affordable to voucher holders, compared to just 3,859 in 2020.¹

If you’re a renter in NYC who uses or may qualify for Section 8 housing vouchers, here’s what you should know about the program, how to apply for assistance, finding an apartment, and your rights as a voucher holder.

What Is the Housing Choice Voucher Program / Section 8?

The federal program provides vouchers to low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities to subsidize a rental of their choosing. Eligibility is determined by household size and annual gross income, and is generally limited to those making up to 50% of the area median income.

Typically, participating households pay approximately 30%, but no more than 40% of their adjusted monthly income² on rent. The government pays the remaining amount directly to the landlord on the household’s behalf.

Manhattan Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Upper West Side

2109 Broadway

$2,900 No Fee

Studio |

1

West Village

42 Morton Street

$2,950 No Fee

1 |

1

East Village

515 East 5th Street

$2,595 No Fee

1 |

1

Central Harlem

48 West 138th Street

$2,450 No Fee

1 |

1

Sutton Place

339 East 58th Street

$2,500 No Fee

Studio |

1

Yorkville

1555 Second Avenue

$2,450 No Fee

1 |

1

Upper West Side

335 West 84th Street

$2,375 No Fee

Studio |

1

East Harlem

412 East 116th Street

$2,800 No Fee

2 |

1

Manhattan Valley

207 West 102nd Street

$2,500 No Fee

Studio |

1

Murray Hill

304 East 41st Street

$2,500 No Fee

Studio |

1

Fort George

612 West 182nd Street

$2,995 No Fee

3 |

1

Hell’s Kitchen

516 West 47th Street

$2,750 No Fee

Studio |

1

How to Apply for Section 8 Rental Assistance

NYCHA, New York City Housing Preservation & Development (HPD), and New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) run separate voucher assistance programs. The three organizations operate independently and have different eligibility requirements.

Unfortunately, due to exceptionally long waitlists, neither NYCHA nor HCR are currently accepting new applicants. There are some exceptions for specific categories of referrals. HPD only provides vouchers for buildings developed or renovated under certain HPD programs, and to unhoused individuals referred by the Department of Homeless Services or Human Resources Administration. Check each program’s website for updates on any waitlist reopenings or eligibility changes.

Brooklyn Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Stuyvesant Heights

401 Macon Street

$2,550 No Fee

1 |

1

Bergen Beach

1253 East 69th Street

$2,900 No Fee

3 |

1.5

Sunset Park

762 41st Street

$2,600 No Fee

2 |

2

Kensington

540 Ocean Parkway

$2,299 No Fee

2 |

1

Midwood

414 Elmwood Avenue

$1,495 No Fee

Studio |

1

East New York

19 Malta Street

$2,500 No Fee

2 |

1.5

Brooklyn Heights

49 Willow Street

$2,500 No Fee

Studio |

1

Ocean Hill

202 Hull Street

$2,750 No Fee

3 |

1

Flatbush

124 Erasmus Street

$2,400 No Fee

1 |

1

Flatbush

1498 Nostrand Avenue

$2,550 No Fee

1 |

1.5

Flatbush

1498 Nostrand Avenue

$2,650 No Fee

1 |

1

Bushwick

326 Cornelia Street

$2,744 No Fee

1 |

1

Know Your Rights: Landlords Can’t Refuse Section 8 Housing Vouchers

Before you start your apartment search, it’s essential to know that it’s illegal for landlords to discriminate against tenants based on how they pay their rent, including with Housing Choice vouchers, so long as their income source is lawful. If you encounter housing discrimination based on your source of income, you can report the incident through various city and state channels.

“Understand that source of income discrimination is illegal. Never think that you shouldn’t apply to an apartment because it’s too nice or says something in the description like ‘no programs.’ You have the right to apply to any apartment in your price range.”

Joe Loonam, Housing Campaign Coordinator, VOCAL-NY

That said, there are a few exemptions to source of income laws that apply to landlords and tenants in NYC, such as owner-occupied one and two-family homes, and rooms in owner-occupied units. See NYC’s Human Rights Law as well as the New York State Human Rights Law for more information.

Queens Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Astoria

26-28 29th Street

$2,295 No Fee

1 |

1

Astoria

30-02 Broadway

$2,495 No Fee

1 |

1

Briarwood

139-21 85 Drive

$2,200 No Fee

2 |

1

Astoria

34-46 Vernon Boulevard

$2,177 No Fee

Studio |

1

Forest Hills

75-20 113rd Street

$2,145 No Fee

Studio |

1

Jackson Heights

79-17 32nd Avenue

$2,500 No Fee

2 |

1

Woodside

32-36 54th Street

$2,700 No Fee

2 |

1

Jackson Heights

33-25 76th Street

$1,650 No Fee

Studio |

1

North Corona

112-34 39th Avenue

$1,550 No Fee

Studio |

1

Forest Hills

103-30 68th Avenue

$2,300 No Fee

1 |

1

Bayswater

10-10 Hartman Lane

$1,750 No Fee

1 |

1

Pomonok

162-30 78 Road

$1,900 No Fee

1 |

1

Landlords & Tenants Must Follow Section 8 Program Rules & Regulations

All subsidized apartments in NYC must meet the Section 8 program’s minimum Housing Quality Standards (HQS). NYCHA will perform an HQS inspection before a tenant moves into a unit, as well as reinspections on a regular basis.

As a tenant, you must follow all Section 8 program requirements, rules, and regulations. These include allowing HQS inspections and any necessary repairs, completing your annual program recertification, and reporting any family changes on a timely basis. Likewise, tenants who hold Section 8 vouchers have the same responsibilities as tenants without vouchers, and are required to sign a lease, abide by the terms of their lease, and pay rent on time.

Bronx Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Longwood

900 East 167th Street

$1,550 No Fee

2 |

1

Mott Haven

25 Bruckner Boulevard

$2,399 No Fee

1 |

1

Mott Haven

224 East 135th Street

$2,756 No Fee

2 |

1

Bronxwood

2505 Olinville Avenue

$1,725 No Fee

Studio |

1

Woodstock

718 Union Avenue

$1,800 No Fee

1 |

1

North New York

466 East 141st Street

$2,885 No Fee

2 |

1

North New York

442 East 145th Street

$2,599 No Fee

2 |

1

Pelham Parkway

2157 Wallace Avenue

$1,750 No Fee

1 |

1

North New York

555 East 137th Street

$2,917 No Fee

3 |

1

North New York

421 East 135th Street

$2,400 No Fee

2 |

1

Crotona Park East

1425 Longfellow Avenue

$1,649 No Fee

1 |

1

University Heights

2305 Sedgewick Avenue

$1,495 No Fee

1 |

1

Tips for Finding an Apartment as a Voucher Holder

Searching for an apartment can be daunting, especially if you’ll be using vouchers to pay the rent. Here are some tips to maximize your home search as a voucher holder.

• Treat it like a job interview. “When you go to see the apartment, make sure you present the best version of yourself,” says Essy Community Champion winner and real estate agent Darlene Brown. 
• Bring all your paperwork to showings. “When you see a unit, have all of your paperwork and vouchers ready,” adds Brown. “This will make the process smoother and show that you’re an organized person.” 
• Search for listings using our price filters. On StreetEasy, you can search for apartments based on a price range or maximum monthly rent. Let’s say you have a voucher for a one-bedroom with an allowance, or payment standard, of $2,700. Just go to our rental search site, put in $2,700 for the maximum rent (or choose a range), and select the number of bedrooms (1) to see what’s available. 
• Document all correspondence. Although it is illegal, housing voucher discrimination happens. That’s why it’s important to document all your exchanges with brokers and landlords — think email and text messages — so you can prove discrimination if need be. Take screenshots of any digital interactions, and also save any physical paperwork that backs up your case.
• Avoid Section 8 voucher scams. In your search, you may encounter fake voucher scams promising to sell or transfer Section 8 vouchers for a fee. Do not engage. Individuals and private companies cannot transfer or sell vouchers.

Bonus Tip: Do you have a broker you like and trust? Continue working with them. While they may not have the perfect apartment for you right now, they might in the future, and you’ll want to be in touch with them if and when it becomes available.

Best of luck in your search!

_{¹ Our methodology is based on the Housing Choice Voucher payment standards published by NYC Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), which define the maximum amount of subsidy the city will pay in a particular zip code depending on the number of bedrooms. In this context, we define an “affordable home” as any rental property with asking rents less than or equal to the payment standards provided by HPD. To expand housing opportunities for voucher holders, HPD sets exception payment standards in zip codes that are traditionally more expensive to allow the subsidies to more closely match local markets. In these areas, we used exception payment standards according to the HPD policy. Some voucher holders can afford more than the payment standard with additional income. They are permitted to pay out of pocket to rent a home with asking rents above the payment standard or exception payment standard. However, HPD does not allow the tenants to spend more than 40% of their income. In our analysis, we assume voucher holders rely entirely on the subsidy.  Therefore, the actual number of voucher-affordable apartments in NYC will be somewhat larger than what’s included in this analysis.}

_{² Monthly taxable income minus allowable deductions per the Internal Revenue Service.}