NYCHA to reopen Section 8 voucher waitlist for first time in 15 years

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) will accept applications for its Section 8 housing voucher program for the first time in 15 years. The Housing Choice Voucher (HVC) program allows families to pay no more than 40 percent of their monthly income for rent, with NYCHA covering the remaining amount. Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced the reopening of the waitlist, which has been closed since 2009, allowing low-income households to apply for rental subsidies on the private market. Eligible households may apply to the program starting Monday, June 3 at 12 a.m. through Sunday, June 9 at 11:59 p.m.

The Section 8 HCV program is the largest in the country, currently giving rental subsidies to 241,117 New Yorkers to help rent apartments in the private market and granting them access to a variety of social services through OpportunityNYCHA.

NYCHA closed the waiting list to new applicants in December 2009. Since then, the agency has worked to cut the waiting list by issuing subsidies and removing applicants who no longer qualify. In 2023, NYCHA issued 7,538 vouchers.

Households with vouchers can look for housing in any neighborhood they choose. The program requires qualifying households to have a gross income of 50 percent or below the area median income and usually pay roughly 30 percent of their monthly income after tax on rent, with rental subsidies covering the remainder.

According to the agency, New Yorkers who earn no more than $54,340 as a single person to $102,500 for a family of eight may qualify for the vouchers. Learn more on eligibility requirements here.

After the upcoming application period, a new waitlist is slated to open by August 1. Upon closing, 200,000 total applicants will be selected at random to join the waitlist, ensuring equitable access to the program regardless of when their applications were received. Once the waitlist is established, applicants will be alerted and given the ability to check the status of their application by logging into NYCHA’s Self Service Portal.

“After 15 years, we are reopening NYCHA’s doors to hundreds of thousands of new Section 8 applicants and helping more New Yorkers find the housing they need. Addressing our city’s housing crisis means using every tool our city has, and that’s exactly what we are doing,” Adams said.

Adams continued: “From advancing 24 housing projects on public land this year through our ’24 in 24′ plan, to fighting for our ‘City of Yes for Housing Opportunity’ proposal to build a little more housing in every neighborhood, we are committed to helping every New Yorker find and stay in their home.”

In January, Adams first announced plans to reopen the housing voucher waitlist during his State of the City address, with a goal of issuing 1,000 vouchers per month.

New Yorkers interested in applying can learn more about Section 8 eligibility here, and can apply to join the waitlist on June 3 here.

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