NYC rent vouchers got easier to get, and some tenants pay $50 a month toward rent

CityFHEPS is New York City’s rent voucher for people who are homeless or at risk of entering shelter. This rule opened eligibility for more people in shelters or living on the street and lowered what some voucher users pay. A one-person household working at least 35 hours a week at minimum wage can qualify even when that pay puts the household slightly above the program’s usual limit of 200% of the federal poverty level.

For families with children that qualify through employment, the rule cut the work requirement from 30 hours a week to 14. A later 2023 rule reduced it to 10 hours and applied that minimum to single adults using the work pathway. A family can also qualify when any member gets SSI, including a child with a disability; before, the disability-benefit pathway required an adult recipient. If you use the voucher for a single-room occupancy unit, your base rent share is a flat $50 a month instead of 30% of income. A separately rented room is a different housing type and follows different contribution rules.

People in a shelter generally work with a case manager or housing specialist, while people living on the street can get help from an outreach team. People at risk of entering shelter can contact Homebase. Mayor Eric Adams announced these changes in November 2022. HRA approved the final rule on Jan. 25, 2023, and it took effect when it was published on Feb. 6.