How to Apply for Section 8 in Syracuse, NY

If you want Section 8 in Syracuse, NY, there are two main places to get on a list. The Syracuse Housing Authority (SHA) runs the city's main Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher) program. NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) also runs a voucher program in Onondaga County through a local administrator. Each one keeps its own waitlist, so getting on one does not put you on the other.

This guide explains who to contact, how the lists open, what to have ready, what rents and income limits look like, and what to do while you wait. Applying for Section 8 is always free.

Is the Syracuse Section 8 waitlist open?

No, not right now. SHA's Section 8 page says: "Our waiting list is currently closed." (checked November 4, 2026, at syracusehousing.org/section8). No new opening has been announced.

SHA's lists open rarely. Local news (WAER, March 2020) reported that SHA opened its Section 8 list online only from March 9 to 15, 2020, its first opening in about a decade. SHA said it would accept 3,500 applications by lottery, with preference for families with children, people with disabilities, domestic violence survivors and lead-exposure referral families. That is why it pays to check SHA's website often and to apply to every other list you qualify for.

SHA's own FAQ estimates the wait for a Section 8 voucher at about 2 to 5 years once you are on the list, and says certain emergency situations may get priority. When names are pulled, SHA contacts families based on their preference and the date of their application.

Who runs Section 8 in Syracuse

Syracuse Housing Authority (SHA)

• Section 8 office: 312 Gifford Street, 9th Floor, Syracuse, NY 13204
• Section 8 phone: 315-470-4400 · Email: S8INFO@Syrhousing.org
• Main office: 516 Burt Street, Syracuse, NY 13202 · 315-475-6181 · Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM (closed holidays)

SHA serves more than 3,000 families with Section 8. Besides regular (tenant-based) vouchers, SHA lists project-based vouchers, VASH vouchers for veterans who are homeless, and Mainstream vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities who are homeless or at risk.

NYS HCR in Onondaga County (JEM Inc)

NYS HCR runs a statewide voucher program through local administrators. HCR lists JEM Inc Central Office as its local administrator for Onondaga County:

• Phone: 518-372-8846 (toll-free on JEM's site: 1-800-373-8933)
• Address: 57 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
• Website: centralofficehcv.com

When an HCR list opens, you can apply online through the MyHousing Portal (section8.hcr.ny.gov) or turn in a paper application to the local administrator. If you already have a MyHousing account, you can add newly opened lists there. HCR's Section 8 call center is 833-791-2748 (Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM; TTY 833-990-4002). HCR's website says its most recent lottery list (for project-based vouchers) closed on July 24. Open lists differ by county, so check the portal for Onondaga County.

How a Syracuse waitlist opening works

1. The list opens for a short time. SHA's last opening was online only and lasted about a week.
2. You submit a short pre-application. This puts your name on the waiting list. It is not approval.
3. Names are picked. SHA has used a lottery with preferences. When your turn comes, SHA contacts you.
4. You complete a full application. SHA checks your household members, your income and a criminal background check for every adult.
5. You get a voucher if you qualify. Being on the list never guarantees a voucher.

To be ready when a list opens, sign up for alerts and keep checking SHA's and HCR's websites. Never pay anyone to apply for you.

What happens after you are selected

• Search time: SHA gives families at least 60 days and no more than 120 days to find a unit.
• Inspection: The unit must pass SHA's Housing Quality Standards inspection.
• Rent check: The rent must be reasonable compared with similar units in the area.
• Contract and lease: The landlord and SHA sign a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract, and you sign a lease.
• Your share: You generally pay about 30% of your income toward rent and utilities. HUD says your share can be as high as 40% of your adjusted monthly income. Try our Section 8 rent calculator for an estimate.
• Security deposit: SHA says tenants pay the security deposit.
• Report changes: You must report income or family changes to SHA within 30 days.

If SHA denies or ends your assistance, you can ask for an informal review or hearing.

Documents to get ready now

You don't need these to join a waitlist, but having them ready speeds things up when you are selected. HUD says agencies typically ask for:

• Pay stubs or other income paperwork, and bank information
• Paperwork for any public assistance you receive
• Proof of citizenship or eligible immigration status
• Social Security cards for household members (the head of household needs a valid Social Security number)

Each agency can ask for more, so follow what SHA or JEM Inc tells you.

Income limits for Syracuse (HUD FY2026)

Section 8 is generally for families with extremely low or very low income. These are HUD's FY2026 limits for the Syracuse, NY MSA (median family income $106,800):

Household size	Extremely low	Very low (50%)
1 person	$22,450	$37,400
2 people	$25,650	$42,750
3 people	$28,850	$48,100
4 people	$33,000	$53,400
5 people	$38,680	$57,700
6 people	$44,360	$61,950
7 people	$50,040	$66,250
8 people	$55,720	$70,500

Source: HUD USER, FY2026 Income Limits, Onondaga County. Meeting these limits does not guarantee a voucher. See Section 8 Eligibility: Who Qualifies for the other rules.

Fair Market Rents in Syracuse

HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027, effective Oct 1, 2026, for the Syracuse, NY MSA (Onondaga County):

Unit size	Fair Market Rent
Studio	$1,050
1 bedroom	$1,196
2 bedrooms	$1,493
3 bedrooms	$1,808
4 bedrooms	$1,962

These are not the most a voucher will pay. Each housing authority sets its own payment standard, usually between 90% and 110% of the Fair Market Rent. SHA posts its payment standards on its website, so check there or ask SHA before you sign a lease.

Public housing in Syracuse

Public housing is a separate program with its own list, and you can apply even while you wait for Section 8. SHA says applications for its public housing wait list are accepted online through its portal (waitlistcheck.com/NY752, linked from syracusehousing.org). Rent in public housing is based on 30% of adjusted income. SHA's FAQ estimates the public housing wait at about 6 months to 2 years, depending on the bedroom size you need.

SHA's public housing properties include Pioneer Homes, Central Village, McKinney Manor, Toomey Abbott Towers, James Geddes Family Units, James Geddes High Rise, Benderson Heights, Scattered Sites, Vinette Towers, Fahey Court and Ross Towers. SHA also manages Almus Olver Towers, Eastwood Heights, Eastwood Homes, Homes of Syracuse, Leonard Buildings and Freedom Commons (including senior housing); applications for those are on SHA's Forms page.

While you wait: other options

• Project-based Section 8 buildings. In these buildings the help stays with the apartment. HCR says that for a project-based voucher you apply directly with the administrator where the building is, each building usually has its own list, and you can apply to as many as you like. See Section 8 and subsidized housing in Syracuse for buildings and phone numbers.
• Other lists in New York. Read How to Apply for Section 8 in New York State and Open Section 8 Waiting Lists: How to Find Them.
• Nearby cities. If you could live elsewhere, see the guides for Rochester, Buffalo and Albany, Schenectady & Troy.
• Keep your contact info current with every agency you apply to. Missing a letter can cost you your spot.

Your rights: source-of-income protection

Since 2019, the New York State Human Rights Law protects renters from discrimination based on lawful source of income, and the NYS Division of Human Rights says this includes Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. That means most landlords in New York cannot legally refuse you just because you pay with a voucher or other lawful income. There are limited exemptions, such as an owner-occupied two-family home or a room in the owner's own home.

If you think a landlord turned you away because of your voucher, contact the NYS Division of Human Rights at (844) 697-3471 (TTY 718-741-8300) or file at dhr.ny.gov. You can also call the New York Attorney General's hotline at 1-800-771-7755. Read more in Your Rights as a Voucher Holder.

Watch out for scams

• Applying is free. No real housing authority charges to join a waitlist.
• HCR says it and its local administrators will never ask you to send payments directly to them for security deposits, rent or other charges.
• HCR warns about fake emails that copy real caseworker names and say you were "approved" for a unit, then ask for a deposit. If in doubt, call the agency using the phone number on its official website.
• Don't pay anyone who promises to move you up a list or get you a voucher faster.

Related guides

• Section 8 and subsidized housing in Syracuse
• How to Apply for Section 8 in New York State (2026)
• Open Section 8 Waiting Lists: How to Find Them
• Section 8 Eligibility: Who Qualifies
• Section 8 Rent Calculator
• How to Apply for Section 8 in Buffalo, NY
• How to Apply for Section 8 in Rochester
• How to Apply for Section 8 in NYC: 2026 Complete Guide
• Your Rights as a NYC Voucher Holder: A Complete Guide
• How to Apply for Section 8 in Albany, Schenectady & Troy