New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) will begin accepting applications for the “Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program” (HCV), marking the first time in nearly 15 years that the waiting list has reopened.
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, managed by NYCHA, is a federally funded initiative that provides rental subsidies to eligible low-income families when renting housing from private landlords, as long as the housing meets program requirements and landlords accept the vouchers.
Interested families can apply to join the waiting list for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program from June 3 to June 9. The list has been closed since December 10, 2009.
NYCHA oversees the nation’s largest Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, with 241,117 residents currently leasing apartments in the private market and receiving the rental subsidy. These residents also access social services through the OpportunityNYCHA programs. Since closing the waiting list 15 years ago, NYCHA has been working to serve those already on the list. Last year alone, NYCHA issued 7,538 vouchers.
To qualify, a household’s total income must be at or below 50% of the area median income, and 30% of monthly income must go towards rent. In most cases, the subsidy will cover the remaining portion.
The waiting list is expected to be finalized by August 1, 2024. If an application is selected for inclusion in the waiting list and ultimately chosen from it, the applicant will receive notification and can check their application status through the NYCHA self-service system website at selfserve.nycha.info.
Mayor Adams stated, “After 15 years, we are reopening the doors to tens of thousands of new applicants for Section 8 housing vouchers and helping more New Yorkers find the housing they need.”
After the application period ends, NYCHA will randomly select 200,000 applications to be placed on the waiting list. Submitting an application does not guarantee inclusion on the waiting list. If an application is randomly chosen to be placed on the list and selected from it, NYCHA will reach out for additional information needed to complete the application process. This may include providing additional information such as critical income, asset, and expense documents. Additionally, NYCHA will conduct a criminal background check on all household members aged 16 and above before scheduling a qualification certification interview.
According to the NYCHA website, the priority order for HCV waiting includes: (a) mobility-impaired individuals residing in non-accessible housing; (b) elderly individuals (age 62 and older) and persons with disabilities; (c) all other applicants.
Application website link: https://apply.section8.nycha.info/; Application period: Starting at 12:00 a.m. on Monday, June 3, and ending at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 9. During this time, regardless of when the housing agency receives applications, all applicants have an equal chance of being placed on the waiting list.