NYCHA’s Section 8 Waitlist Reopening

NYCHA will begin accepting applications for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, reopening a waitlist that has been closed to general applications for nearly 15 years. Section 8 HCV is a federally funded program administered by NYCHA that provides rental subsidies for eligible low-income families to rent housing in the private market. 

The waitlist will be open from Monday, June 3, 2024, at 12:00 AM, through Sunday, June 9, 2024, at 11:59 PM. You can apply online to join the waitlist here.

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

Following this upcoming application period, a new waitlist will be established by August 1, 2024. A total of 200,000 applications will be randomly selected by lottery to join the waitlist. Applicants will be notified once the waitlist is established and will have the ability to check the status of their application by logging into NYCHA’s Self-Service Portal. 

NYCHA will aim to issue 1,000 vouchers each month until it hits its maximum distribution. NYCHA is currently capped at 115,346 active vouchers and has 96,509 Section 8 participants either leased up or searching. Recipients of Section 8 vouchers have 120 days to secure a place to live but can receive a 60-day extension if they’re struggling to find a landlord who will rent to them.

Am I eligible?

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). You can view an income limit chart here. 

What information is required to complete the Section 8 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)

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.  

Applicants must complete the application in one sitting if applying online, which is strongly recommended. There is not an option to save the application and complete it at a later time. Once the application is submitted, applicants will receive a reference number. This reference can be used to update their application during the open application period or if an applicant needs to call the NYCHA HCV Application Hotline.

What if I am already on the waitlist?

If you are already on the waitlist, you will remain on the waitlist as long as you continue to renew your application through NYCHA’s online portal every two years. NYCHA will reach out to people currently on the waitlist first before processing new applications.

How does NYCHA choose who gets a voucher from the waitlist?

NYCHA has established a priority list set forth in NYCHA’s Annual Plan to determine who receives a voucher. Every person on the waitlist will get assigned an HCVP Priority Code. Key factors that influence this code are if someone is homeless, a survivor of domestic violence, an NYCHA public housing resident who is at risk of displacement or required to move due to uninhabitable conditions, has a mobility impairment and is residing in inaccessible housing, is elderly or has a disability. 

Who can I contact for assistance?

For more information about how to apply, please visit NYCHA’s website here. For frequently asked questions, please click here. If you have additional questions, please call NYCHA’s HCV Application Hotline at (718) 218-1525. You can also learn more by visiting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) website. 

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.