For the first time since December 2009, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) will re-open the Section 8 housing choice voucher waitlist to the public on Monday, June 3.
The city will place 200,000 new applicants from low-income households on the waitlist, according to NYCHA officials who spoke to the media in a virtual press conference on Thursday.
NYCHA's Executive Vice President of Leased Housing Lakesha Miller said the waitlist is finally reopening after 15 years because they are beginning to exhaust the current waitlist, which is now down to approximately 3,700 applicants.
The online application will open Monday at 12:00am and close on Sunday, June 9 at 11:59pm. The selection process will be a lottery, meaning every applicant will have an equal opportunity to be selected regardless of when their application was submitted.
Submitting an application does not guarantee placement on the waitlist. Applicants are strongly discouraged from submitting multiple applications, as duplicate applications will be removed, Miller said.
“As the largest landlord in New York City, NYCHA understands firsthand the importance of affordable housing for New Yorkers and the need to use every available tool to connect more families with a safe place to call home,” said NYCHA's Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “We are proud to administer the most expansive Section 8 program in the nation and look forward to reopening the waitlist for this critical rental subsidy.”
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. This qualifies you for a two-bedroom voucher, according to Miller.
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, Miller added.
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 citizen status. Most permanent non-citizens are eligible to receive a voucher. Learn more about non-citizen eligibility 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.
There are two NYCHA application offices where applicants can go to receive physical applications: The Brooklyn location is at 787 Atlantic Ave. 2nd floor, and the Bronx office is at at 478 East Fordham Road, 2nd floor.
Miller encouraged households who need help with their application to ask close family members or seek out established community organizations for guidance.
Councilmember Crystal Hudson, who represents the 35th district comprising of Prospect Heights, Fort Greene, and Clinton Hill, will host an in-person Section 8 application clinic on June 5 from 11:00am to 3:00pm to assist households with their applications. To make an appointment, call Hudson's office at (718) 260-9191.
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