How to Apply for CityFHEPS in NYC (2026): Eligibility, Steps, Payment Standards

CityFHEPS (City Family Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement) is New York City's own rental voucher, run by the Department of Social Services and HRA. It pays the difference between about 30% of your income and the rent, up to a city maximum. In 2026 that maximum is $2,734 a month for a one-bedroom and $2,997 for a two-bedroom with utilities included.

Here is the part most guides skip: there is no CityFHEPS application form you can fill out on your own. You don't apply directly. A caseworker or provider applies for you — usually a shelter housing specialist, a Homebase office, or, for people on the street or in drop-in or transitional programs, a DHS-contracted outreach provider. This guide walks through the main routes, what you will be asked for, what the voucher pays in 2026, how the move-in process works, and what to do when a landlord says no.

Who qualifies for CityFHEPS in 2026

Every CityFHEPS household has to clear three basic tests first:

1. Income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Using the 2026 federal guidelines, that works out to roughly $31,920 a year for one person, $43,280 for two, $54,640 for three, and $66,000 for four. (HRA publishes the percentage, not a dollar table; these figures are 200% of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines.) One exception: a single adult who earns minimum wage and works at least 35 hours a week may have income above this limit and still qualify.
2. If anyone in your household is eligible for Cash Assistance, they must be receiving it, and any sanction on your case must be cleared at an HRA Benefits Access Center before CityFHEPS can be issued.
3. You must not qualify for another rental assistance program such as FHEPS. If you may be eligible for Section 8 or FHEPS, you must apply for it and accept it if offered. CityFHEPS generally cannot be combined with another rental subsidy without HRA's approval.

After that, eligibility depends on where you are living right now.

Route 1: You are in a shelter

If you are in a DHS shelter (family or single adult), an HRA shelter (domestic violence or HASA), or a DHS shelter while eligible for HRA shelter, you must meet the three tests above and at least one of these:

• An adult in the household has worked at least 10 hours a week for the last 30 days
• Someone receives federal disability benefits or is on the WeCARE SSI track
• Someone is 60 or older
• An adult is exempt from work rules to care for a disabled family member
• Someone in the household served in the U.S. Armed Forces
• Your DHS shelter is closing
• A qualifying program referred you

You also cannot move back into a home you lived in during the past year. The old rule that required 90 days in shelter before you could apply was eliminated in 2023, and HRA's current shelter FAQ (January 2026) lists no length-of-stay requirement. Tell your housing specialist early that you want to be considered for CityFHEPS.

Route 2: You are in the community (not in shelter)

Households that are housed but at risk apply through Homebase, the city's network of more than 20 nonprofit homelessness-prevention offices across the five boroughs. You must meet the three tests and at least one of these:

• You are facing eviction in Housing Court, or were evicted in the last 12 months, and at least one of the following is true: someone in your household previously lived in a DHS shelter; someone has an active Adult Protective Services case or is in a community guardianship program; or you live in a rent-controlled apartment and would use CityFHEPS to stay in it.
• You are a veteran at risk of homelessness.
• You receive Pathway Home assistance.
• A CityFHEPS-qualifying program referred you and DSS determines the voucher is needed to keep you out of shelter.

If you are housed, not in court, and none of the special categories apply, you are generally not eligible for CityFHEPS today. Do not pay anyone who tells you otherwise. Two things are worth knowing in that situation: a Homebase office can still help with rent arrears, benefits, and legal referrals even without a voucher, and the city is launching a separate HPD voucher (CHAP) in 2027 for households up to 50% of area median income, with half the funding set aside for rent-stabilized tenants facing eviction (see the end of this guide).

What about the 2023 expansion laws?

You may have read that the City Council expanded CityFHEPS to households earning up to 50% of area median income and removed the shelter and court requirements. Those laws (Local Laws 99–102 of 2023) never took effect. The city refused to implement them, the case went to court, and in June 2026 the two sides settled: the Council passed Local Law 126 of 2026, which drops those CityFHEPS expansions and creates the new HPD voucher instead. The eligibility rules above are the ones in force.

Step 1: Get to the right door

In shelter: tell your housing specialist or case manager you want to apply for CityFHEPS. They prepare and submit the packet. You should not need to contact HRA yourself at this stage.

Not in shelter: call 311 and ask for the Homebase office that covers your ZIP code, or use the Homebase locator on nyc.gov. Call ahead for an appointment rather than walking in. Bring your court papers if you have a case. Read our guide to applying through Homebase for what to expect at that first visit.

Already facing a court date? Call 311 the same day and ask for Right to Counsel. Tenants facing eviction in Housing Court whose income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level may be able to get a free lawyer, though there are not always enough lawyers for everyone. Tell the lawyer you are also seeking CityFHEPS.

Step 2: Gather your documents

Your caseworker will collect these and send them to DSS. Having them ready helps avoid delays:

• Photo ID for every adult; birth certificates or Social Security cards for everyone in the household
• Recent proof of income: pay stubs, a benefits award letter, SSI/SSD statements, or an employer letter
• Proof of your housing situation: shelter intake letter, or for community applicants the eviction petition, court papers, rent demand, or arrears ledger
• Your Cash Assistance case number if you have one
• Any immigration documents household members have; CityFHEPS is a city program and your caseworker can explain how household composition affects the application

You will sign the Program Participant Agreement (DSS-7P) and the Tenant Contact Information form (DSS-8B). The full list and every form is in our CityFHEPS documents checklist.

Step 3: Your Household Share Letter and shopping letter

Before you start searching you receive two letters:

• The Household Share Letter gives an estimate of what you will pay each month — for most households, 30% of gross monthly income. Your final amount is in the Approval Letter DSS sends after your apartment package is approved. (One exception to the 30%: working households that renew past their fifth year on a good-cause extension pay 40%, under a rule effective September 13, 2025.)
• The Shopping Letter states your maximum rent by apartment size. This is your proof of voucher. It is valid for 120 days and the expiration date is printed on it. If it is close to expiring and you are still searching, ask your caseworker right away what your options are. See the shopping letter explained.

How long does approval take? HRA does not publish a target. In practice it depends heavily on how quickly your documents reach DSS complete, which is why Step 2 matters.

Step 4: What CityFHEPS pays in 2026

The 2026 payment standards apply to any landlord package submitted on or after March 1, 2026, or any lease starting April 1, 2026 or later. They are slightly lower than 2025.

Household size	Unit	2026 maximum rent (utilities included)
1	Single room (SRO)	$1,953
1	Studio	$2,604
1–2	1 bedroom	$2,734
3–4	2 bedroom	$2,997
5–6	3 bedroom	$3,753
7–8	4 bedroom	$4,077
9–10	5 bedroom	$4,689

Two things change the number on your letter. If you pay gas or electric yourself, HRA subtracts a utility allowance, so a one-bedroom where the tenant pays electric has a maximum below $2,734. And a rented room (not an SRO) is capped at $1,100. The full table, the utility allowances, and how they compare to Section 8 are in CityFHEPS payment standards 2026.

Step 5: Find an apartment

With your shopping letter in hand, you are searching for a unit at or below your maximum whose landlord will take the voucher. Some practical points:

• Most landlords cannot legally refuse CityFHEPS. New York City and New York State law ban source-of-income discrimination in nearly all rentals; the main exceptions are renting a room in a home the owner shares, or a unit in an owner-occupied two-family house that was not publicly advertised. "We don't take programs" is usually illegal. Report it to the NYC Commission on Human Rights at 212-416-0197, which can fine landlords and brokers and order them to pay damages.
• HRA pays the broker fee directly to the broker (form HRA-121), currently up to 15% of annual rent, though HRA has said it plans to lower this. A broker who asks you for a fee on top is breaking program rules.
• There is no cash security deposit. HRA issues a security voucher the landlord must accept instead.
• Landlords get real incentives, which helps your pitch: first month's rent plus the next three months' supplement paid up front, a one-month unit hold payment for shelter exits, and up to $3,000 for repairs. If an owner is hesitant, point them to HRA's landlord page; many simply have not seen the current terms.
• See our neighborhood guides for where to start looking: CityFHEPS apartments in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens, plus the NYC buildings that take vouchers.

Step 6: Unit review, the landlord package, and move-in

Once you and a landlord agree, the unit is registered with DSS, and DSS then does a rent reasonableness review, a pre-clearance check for building violations, and a walkthrough inspection. If the unit passes, your caseworker helps assemble the packet (proof of ownership, HPD registration, W-9, lease, direct-deposit information, security voucher acceptance), the lease is signed, and DSS does a final review before the key-and-check exchange. HRA does not publish a timeline for this stage; the unit-hold payment exists to help landlords wait. Your caseworker tracks it; if it stalls, the Rental Assistance Call Center at 718-557-1399 (Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM) can tell you which step it is on.

After you move in: renewals and the five-year clock

CityFHEPS is renewed every year. HRA mails your renewal about five months before your subsidy year ends, and you can file it through ACCESS HRA or by emailing CityFHEPSRenewals@hra.nyc.gov. At renewal the income limit rises to 80% of area median income, so a raise usually does not cost you the voucher. There is a general limit of four annual renewals (five years total) with good-cause extensions beyond that; the limit does not apply if your household includes someone 60 or older or an adult receiving federal disability benefits. Details are in CityFHEPS renewal.

Who to call

• Rental Assistance Call Center (DSS OneNumber): 718-557-1399, Mon–Fri 9 AM–5 PM
• Homebase (community applicants): call 311
• Renewals and modifications: CityFHEPSRenewals@hra.nyc.gov, or ACCESS HRA
• A landlord or broker refused your voucher: NYC Commission on Human Rights, 212-416-0197
• Official forms: HRA's CityFHEPS documents page on nyc.gov

The full contact list, including the mailing address and what each line handles, is in CityFHEPS phone numbers and contacts.

Coming in 2027: the HPD voucher (CHAP)

Local Law 126 of 2026 creates the City Housing Assistance Program, a new voucher run by HPD rather than HRA. It is aimed at households earning up to 50% of area median income, with half the funding reserved for rent-stabilized tenants facing eviction and the rest for people in non-DSS shelters or in DSS shelters who do not qualify for CityFHEPS. Tenants will pay 30% of adjusted income. The city budgeted $175 million for its first year, HPD published proposed rules in September 2026, and launch is expected in early 2027. We will update this guide and open alerts for it when applications begin.

Avoid the scams

Nobody can sell you a CityFHEPS voucher, speed up your application, or guarantee an apartment for a fee. HRA pays brokers directly. Your application is submitted for free by a shelter caseworker, a Homebase office, or another city-contracted provider. If someone asks you for money to "process" a CityFHEPS application, walk away and report it to 311.

Related guides

• What is CityFHEPS? and CityFHEPS eligibility
• CityFHEPS vs. Section 8 and FHEPS vs. CityFHEPS
• How to apply for Section 8 in NYC and NYCHA public housing
• Your rights as a voucher holder and source-of-income discrimination in NYC
• CityFHEPS landlord package (for owners and brokers)
• CityFHEPS program overview
• Voucher-friendly housing in the Bronx
• Voucher-friendly housing in Brooklyn
• Voucher-friendly housing in Queens
• Voucher-friendly housing in Manhattan
• Voucher-friendly housing on Staten Island