The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt, NYCHA’s Leased Housing Department, and the Mayor’s Office of Ethnic and Community Media hosted a press conference on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, to announce the reopening of NYCHA’s Section 8 waitlist. The discussion covered the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, the application process, eligibility, how to get on the waitlist, and the lottery selection process.
NYCHA will begin accepting applications for the Section 8 waitlist lottery on June 3, 2024. The Section 8 HCV program is a federally funded initiative administered by NYCHA, providing rental subsidies for eligible low-income families to rent housing in the private market. Interested households can apply to the Section 8 HCV waitlist lottery between midnight on Monday, June 3, 2024, and 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 9, 2024. Once the application period closes, NYCHA will randomly place 200,000 applications on the waitlist, ensuring all applicants have an equal opportunity for placement regardless of when their application was received.
Bova-Hiatt emphasized, “NYCHA administers the most expansive Section 8 program in the nation. We are conducting a lottery to place 200,000 new applicants on the Section 8 waitlist. Above all else, accurate information is critical for all applicants in navigating the Section 8 program, and spreading the word about it is a valuable tool for those searching for affordable housing.”
Executive Vice President for Leased Housing Lakisha Miller provided a detailed presentation on the process and answered questions from the press. After outlining the timeline for the application, Miller emphasized a few key points for the general public, noting that the waitlist was last opened on December 10, 2009.
· Submitting an application does not guarantee placement on the waitlist. Applicants are strongly discouraged from submitting multiple applications, as duplicate submissions will be removed.
· Qualification for a voucher is based on household income. Those who make less than 50% of the area median income (AMI) will typically qualify for a voucher. For a family of four, the annual income limit to qualify is $77,650, qualifying them for a two-bedroom voucher. For more details, refer to the qualification chart here.
· Current NYCHA residents are eligible to receive a voucher. Those who wish to stay in their current residence may also apply, as long as the unit passes a housing quality standards inspection and the landlord is willing to participate in the program.
· Households will be asked to provide their date of birth, social security number, disability status, race, ethnicity, and gender identity. Each household must have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen with eligible citizenship status. Most permanent non-citizens are eligible to receive a voucher. Learn more about the eligibility by visiting here:
· NYCHA expects more than 500,000 applications. The waitlist will be established on August 1, when applicants will begin receiving confirmation of making the waitlist. After this, the housing authority will begin issuing 1,000 vouchers a month.
· Once someone receives a voucher, they will have to search for housing on their own. If a voucher holder fails to find a rental within 60 days, they can get help through NYCHA’s housing navigation unit.
To submit the application, please visit here. For additional facts, please visit here.
Requests for a paper application can be submitted by calling 718-218-1525 or by visiting one of NYCHA’s customer contact centers: The Bronx office is at 478 E. Fordham Road, and the Brooklyn office is located at 787 Atlantic Avenue.
Anyone requiring disability services (ADA) assistance can call 212-306-4652. Those with hearing impairments needing teletypewriter (TTY) services are encouraged to call 212-306-4845.
