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Speeches and Testimonies

NYCHANow


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 1, 2024
CONTACT: media@nycha.nyc.gov | (212) 306-3322

NYCHA Establishes New Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Waitlist and Begins Notifying Applicants of Lottery Results

First announced in Mayor Adams’ State of the City, the new waitlist will help eligible households access rental subsidies for use in the private market

200,000 households were randomly selected for the waitlist via lottery, with online applications accepted between June 3 and June 9, 2024

NEW YORK – The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) today announced the establishment of a new Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waitlist, with 200,000 households randomly selected via lottery following an online application process that ran from June 3 through June 9, 2024. 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. Today’s announcement is the next step in delivering on a key commitment made by Mayor Eric Adams in his 2024 State of the City Address to reopen Section 8 HCV applications this year — marking the first time the list has been open to general applications since December 10, 2009. Households who applied for the waitlist are currently being notified of the outcome of the lottery.

“The message is clear: New Yorkers need affordable housing and they it need now,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “That’s why we were proud to announce in our State of the City address that after 15 years, the Section 8 waitlist would finally reopen to the general public this year. NYCHA will begin the work of issuing housing vouchers, providing much-needed relief to families searching for affordable housing. However, our work is far from over. Our administration will continue to use every possible tool, including advocating for the passage of ‘City of Yes for Housing Opportunity,’ to build and connect New Yorkers to the affordable housing our city’s residents need.”

“As our administration responds to the housing crisis, it's vital that New Yorkers in need of Section 8 vouchers have this opportunity to receive them,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “NYCHA's forthcoming issuance of 1,000 vouchers a month will be a lifeline to 200,000 New Yorkers who need affordable housing. This opportunity is one of many actions, along with this week's housing production announcement and City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, that prove the Mayor's dedication to ensure all New Yorkers have access to safe, affordable, quality housing.”

“It's truly a momentous occasion for the Authority to add 200,000 new applicants to NYCHA's Housing Choice Voucher waitlist,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “It's been 15 years since the waitlist was last open to the general public, so it's a tremendous feeling — having spent that time working through the bulk of the existing waitlist — to now begin issuing vouchers to new families and individuals in search of affordable housing options in the private market. After the incredible influx of applications we received this past June, we're eager to begin issuing vouchers to those who have been placed on the refreshed waitlist so that they can begin their search.”

“Over the last 15 years, NYCHA has worked hard to issue Section 8 vouchers to those on the waitlist and provide an invaluable tool to those searching for affordable housing in the private market. We are excited to have a refreshed waitlist and to now begin contacting applicants to initiate the eligibility process,” said NYCHA Executive Vice President for Leased Housing Lakesha Miller. “We look forward to working in partnership with the thousands of participating Section 8 property owners and hope that new property owners will join us in increasing access to critical affordable housing options.”

“I applaud Mayor Adams for opening access to the federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, a cornerstone of affordable housing in New York City that I fought hard to fund,” said U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer. “I am proud to have led the charge to protect the program and increase funding so that more New Yorkers have access to safe and affordable housing opportunities. I will continue fighting to protect and expand the program at the federal level.”

NYCHA administers the largest Section 8 HCV program in the country, currently providing rental subsidies to 214,117 residents to rent apartments in the private market, while facilitating access to social services through a variety of programs with OpportunityNYCHA. Since the waitlist’s last closing approximately 15 years ago, NYCHA has worked to serve those on the list, which for years had a sufficient applicant base for voucher issuance. Last year, NYCHA issued 7,538 vouchers, a continuation of progress that reduced the eligible pool over time and led to the need to replenish the waitlist.

As part of the application process re-opened in June, a total of 200,000 applications were randomly selected by lottery, ensuring that all households had an equal opportunity to be chosen regardless of when their applications were received. In total, NYCHA received 633,808 online applications during the eligible window, including 301,044 within the first 24 hours. Households could also request a paper application; NYCHA received 4,416 paper applications that were postmarked by the June 28 deadline.

Notifications for lottery applicants are being distributed in batches by e-mail throughout this week, with hard copies of the notifications to follow by way of U.S. mail. Those who receive confirmation they have been named to the new waitlist will have the ability to create an online profile and track the status of their application by logging into NYCHA’s Self-Service Portal. Households will subsequently be contacted to take the next steps in the application process and submit all remaining necessary documents, including proof of income. Households that receive a voucher will be able to search for housing within the neighborhood of their choice. Being named to the waitlist does not necessarily guarantee receipt of a voucher, as applicant eligibility must be confirmed.

NYCHA will utilize and call households off this waitlist over the next several years, with a goal of issuing 1,000 vouchers a month contingent on funding and the authorized voucher capacity. Anyone who remained on the existing waitlist will continue to be served and did not have to reapply.

As part of the program, qualifying households must have a gross income of 50 percent or below the area median income and generally pay 30 percent of their adjusted monthly income toward rent, with the subsidy in most cases covering the remaining portion.

No follow-up is required if an application is selected for placement on the waitlist. NYCHA is unable to estimate when applicants will be reached on the waitlist. More information about the HCV program can be found on NYCHA’s website.

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About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North America, was created in 1935 to provide decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers. NYCHA is home to 1 in 17 New Yorkers, providing affordable housing to 520,808 authorized residents through public housing and Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) programs as well as Section 8 housing. NYCHA has 177,569 apartments in 2,411 buildings across 335 conventional public housing and PACT developments. In addition, NYCHA connects residents to critical programs and services from external and internal partners, with a focus on economic opportunity, youth, seniors, and social services. With a housing stock that spans all five boroughs, NYCHA is a city within a city.