You Applied For NYC Section 8, Now What?

By FrumNews.com

Many in the Frum kehillos in New York City who applied for Section 8 reached out to FrumNews.com about what to do now that applications have closed, asking if they would be on the waitlist or when and if they would receive the benefits.

In mere hours of NYC opening Section 8 registration for the first time in 15 years, more than a quarter of a million New York City residents submitted applications to join the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program’s waitlist were received.

The program, which opened applications for the first time in 15 years, provides rental aid for low-income families. NYC administers the largest Section 8 program in the country. It currently provides rental support to 241,117 New Yorkers to rent apartments in the private market. NYCHA issues these vouchers in a role that is separate from its responsibilities as the nation’s largest public housing authority.

The waitlist had been closed to general applications since 2009. Families in the program are given a voucher when they search for a rental. NYC pays most of the rent on the family’s behalf for any apartment, building, condominium (condo) or home rental in New York City.

The Application process

As FrumNews.com previously outlined, the application process to join Section 8’s new waitlist recently closed and will consist of 200,000 randomly selected applicants.

Within 30 days of applying, or by August 1st latest, you will get a letter from NYCHA, according to the agency. If you are accepted and added to the Section 8 waitlist for NYC, or not.. Your housing application will remain active for two years, and you must keep your application up to date through the Self-Service Portal every two years. NYCHA recommends having a phone number or e-mail attached to your profile so they can send you reminders to update your application.

(NYC has a priority system that ranks each applicant based on predetermined preference categories using the information that is given on the application, in order: 1. Mobility impaired and residing in inaccessible housing. Elderly persons (62 years of age and older) and persons with disabilities. And then all other applicants.)

An eligibility interview will take place over the phone by NYCHA’s Eligibility Unity, according to the agency. During the interview, the following pieces of information will be verified:

1. Marriage Certificate
2. Birth Certificate for everyone who will live with you.
3. Social security card for everyone who will live with you.
4. Verification of immigration status, if applicable
5. Proof of present address for the past three months, which can include utility bills or a postmarked envelope sent to you
6. Proof of rent payment/utilities payment. Bring your rent receipts for the last six months (Receipts must have the amount of rent). Rental lease ( if you have one) and last gas and/ or electric bill
7. Landlord/Owner information: Bring the name, address and telephone number of your Landlord (property owner) for residences you lived in the past 3 years. You must bring this information even if you are/were doubled-up in someone else’s apartment.
8. Documents showing assets for the last 12 months.
   1. Bank books or bank statements
   2. Verification of interest/dividend income, such as last year’s 1099-INT/DIV
   3. Stock broker summary/statement of stocks, bonds or mutual funds
   4. Copy of stock or bond certificates.
9. Documents showing all other family income received in the last 12 months:
   1. Social Security/SSI Income:
      1. Social Security award letter
      2. S.S. I. award letter: The SSA/SSI benefit letter must be dated within 60 days of the interview.
   2. Public Assistance Income/Food Stamp: If you receive Public Assistance and/or Food Stamps please bring to the interview the most recent budget/food stamps letter. If you do not have the budget letter, we will verify the Public Assistance income directly from the NYC Human Resource Administration.
   3. Other Income
      1. Employment (pay stubs, W-2 forms)
      2. Pension award letter
      3. Unemployment insurance benefits letter

If your family is deemed eligible, your application will undergo screening to ensure that “your family’s past behavior will not adversely affect the financial stability or the health, safety, or welfare of other tenants, Authority staff, or an Authority development,” NYCHA states on its website. The screening will include a background check and will contact previous landlords.

If your household is deemed eligible, you will receive a voucher and be able to search for housing within the neighborhood of your choice.

You can check your application status in the self-service portal.