Why is the Bronx good for voucher holders?

Lower market rents mean voucher payment standards more reliably cover full unit costs, so landlords face less risk of unrented inventory and are more willing to accept vouchers. The Bronx also has a high concentration of HPD project-based Section 8 buildings — properties where the federal subsidy is tied to specific units, providing more stable inventory.

Is the Bronx safe for voucher holders?

Safety varies by neighborhood like anywhere in NYC. The Bronx has seen significant safety improvements over the past decades. Specific neighborhoods including Riverdale, Throggs Neck, Pelham Parkway, and parts of Fordham are considered low-crime. The South Bronx and parts of Hunts Point have higher crime rates than the city average. Researching specific blocks before signing a lease is recommended.

Can I use a voucher in Riverdale?

Yes, though fewer landlords accept vouchers in Riverdale than in central or south Bronx neighborhoods. Riverdale has some Section 8 inventory in larger doorman buildings along Henry Hudson Parkway and Post Road. Rents are higher and the federal payment standard often only partially covers the unit.

New York City

Section 8 Apartments in Bronx

The Bronx has historically had the highest Section 8 voucher utilization rate of any NYC borough, with the most affordable inventory and the strongest landlord acceptance. Voucher payment standards typically cover full rent in most Bronx neighborhoods, making the borough the most reliable place to use a Section 8 voucher without out-of-pocket rent overage.

About Bronx

The Bronx has 1.4 million residents across 42 square miles. It's NYC's northernmost borough and the only one on the mainland. Demographically, the Bronx is majority Latino (especially Puerto Rican and Dominican) with a substantial African American population particularly in the South Bronx. The South Bronx has been the focus of decades of housing investment after the disinvestment of the 1970s; today it has one of the most extensive collections of affordable and subsidized housing in the country. Northwest Bronx neighborhoods like Riverdale and Kingsbridge are more middle-class with mixed housing stock. East Bronx neighborhoods like Throggs Neck and Pelham Bay are largely single-family and have less voucher inventory.

Neighborhoods in Bronx

Available Apartments

View all

No listings currently available in Bronx.

Transit Access

Bronx subway service includes the 1 train (Riverdale, Kingsbridge), 2 and 5 trains (South Bronx, Soundview), 4 train (South Bronx through Fordham), 6 train (South Bronx, Hunts Point, Parkchester), B and D trains (Highbridge, Tremont, Fordham, Norwood). Metro-North's Hudson Line serves Riverdale; Harlem Line serves Fordham, Tremont, and points north. Many Bronx neighborhoods rely heavily on local bus service: the Bx12 SBS (Fordham-Pelham Bay), Bx35 (Highbridge-Hunts Point), and many local routes. The Bx9 connects to upper Manhattan; the Bx1/Bx2 connect Riverdale to Midtown via the Henry Hudson Bridge.

Voucher Housing in Bronx

The Bronx has the most affordable voucher housing market in NYC. Section 8 is the most common program; CityFHEPS and FHEPS have strong landlord acceptance, particularly in the South Bronx where lower rents align well with program payment standards. The Bronx has the largest portfolio of HPD project-based Section 8 buildings in the city. NYCHA Bronx developments include Patterson Houses, Mott Haven Houses, Mill Brook Houses, Throggs Neck Houses, and many smaller properties. Bronx one-bedrooms in voucher-friendly buildings typically run $1,300-$1,800; two-bedrooms $1,500-$2,300; three-bedrooms $2,000-$2,800; four-bedrooms $2,500-$3,400. The borough has the highest density of small landlords accepting vouchers, particularly in central and south Bronx neighborhoods.

About Bronx

The Bronx has 1.4 million residents in 42 square miles. It is NYC''s only mainland borough and the only majority-Latino county in New York State. The population is approximately 55% Hispanic/Latino, 30% Black, 9% white, and 4% Asian. The largest Latino communities are Puerto Rican (the borough has one of the largest Puerto Rican populations of any U.S. city) and Dominican, with significant Mexican, Honduran, Salvadoran, and Cuban communities. The Black population includes both African American and Caribbean American (Jamaican, Trinidadian, Guyanese) communities. Median household income is approximately $44,000 — the lowest of any NYC borough and among the lowest of any U.S. county of comparable population. About 79% of Bronx households rent — the highest rental rate of any borough. The Bronx has the highest concentration of voucher and subsidized housing in NYC — an estimated 130,000+ households use Section 8, NYCHA Public Housing, or other rental assistance, and approximately 30% of Bronx housing units are some form of affordable or subsidized housing.

Local Services & Resources

NYC HRA Job Centers: Multiple Bronx locations including Crotona Job Center (1910 Monterey Ave), Concourse Job Center (1375 Jerome Ave), Fordham Job Center (2541 Bainbridge Ave), Melrose Job Center (260 E 161st St), Soundview Job Center (1910 Monterey Ave), and Rider Job Center (1635 Story Ave).

HRA Homebase: Multiple Bronx locations operated by BronxWorks, Help USA, CAMBA, and others. The Bronx has the most Homebase locations of any borough due to high homelessness prevention needs.

NYCHA Customer Contact Center: Located at 478 East Fordham Road (accessible by 4 and D trains, Bx12 SBS, and multiple local buses). Serves Bronx and Manhattan residents for Section 8 and NYCHA Public Housing matters.

Major hospitals: Montefiore Medical Center (multiple Bronx campuses, the largest healthcare system in the borough), St. Barnabas Hospital (Belmont), BronxCare Health System (multiple sites), Jacobi Medical Center (Pelham Parkway, public), North Central Bronx Hospital (Norwood, public), Lincoln Medical Center (Mott Haven, public). The Bronx is served extensively by NYC Health + Hospitals; public facilities serve voucher families on sliding fee scale with multi-language interpreter services available.

New York Public Library (Bronx branches): 35+ Bronx branches with the Bronx Library Center on East Kingsbridge Road as the largest. Free WiFi, computer access, ESL classes, after-school programs.

Legal aid: Bronx Legal Services (Legal Services NYC), BronxWorks Legal Advocacy, CASA New Settlement (housing advocacy for Bronx residents), Bronx Defenders (criminal defense with civil legal services), Mobilization for Justice (Bronx office). All offer free housing-related legal help including source-of-income discrimination representation.

Parks, Museums & Cultural Sites

Parks: The Bronx has more parkland than any other NYC borough. Pelham Bay Park (2,772 acres — three times the size of Central Park, includes Orchard Beach), Van Cortlandt Park (1,146 acres — second-largest park in NYC, includes Van Cortlandt Lake and golf course), Bronx Park (home to the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden), Crotona Park (127 acres in the South Bronx with the Crotona Park Pool), Soundview Park (East River views), and dozens of neighborhood parks.

Bronx Zoo and New York Botanical Garden (Bronx Park, Fordham): Two of the largest and most significant zoos and gardens in the United States. NYC residents can access Bronx Zoo and NYBG at reduced or free rates on certain days.

Museums and cultural sites: Bronx Museum of the Arts (Concourse), Wave Hill (28-acre public garden in Riverdale), the Bronx County Historical Society, Edgar Allan Poe Cottage (Fordham), Hostos Center for the Arts (Mott Haven).

Yankee Stadium (South Bronx): Home of the New York Yankees. The surrounding neighborhood is a major commercial and transportation corridor.

Arthur Avenue / Belmont (Little Italy of the Bronx): Historic Italian neighborhood with restaurants, food markets, and bakeries.

NYCHA Developments in Bronx

Major NYC Housing Authority developments in this borough. Apply through the NYCHA Self-Service Portal at selfserve.nycha.info.

Development	Neighborhood	Address	Units
Patterson Houses	Mott Haven (South Bronx)	2864 3rd Ave	1,791
Mill Brook Houses	Mott Haven (South Bronx)	575 E 137th St	1,255
Mott Haven Houses	Mott Haven (South Bronx)	405 E 144th St	593
Mitchel Houses	Mott Haven (South Bronx)	550 E 138th St	1,736
Melrose Houses	Melrose (South Bronx)	286 E 156th St	1,167
Andrew Jackson Houses	Melrose (South Bronx)	780 Westchester Ave	866
Webster Houses	Tremont/Belmont	1735 Webster Ave	1,085
Adams Houses	Belmont	777 E 180th St	855
Forest Houses	Morrisania (South Bronx)	1265 Tinton Ave	1,350
Soundview Houses	Soundview	1582 Lacombe Ave	1,257
Bronxdale Houses	Soundview	1635 Watson Ave	1,497
Castle Hill Houses	Castle Hill	545 Castle Hill Ave	2,025
Throggs Neck Houses	Throgs Neck	555 Hollywood Ave	779
Edenwald Houses	Edenwald	1144 E 229th St	2,018
Marble Hill Houses	Marble Hill	5365 Broadway	1,635
Sedgwick Houses	Morris Heights	1574 Sedgwick Ave	728
Morris Houses	Morrisania	1190 Jackson Ave	985

Schools

Bronx public schools span community school districts:

District 7: Mott Haven, Melrose (South Bronx) — historically underserved with substantial recent investment
District 8: Soundview, Castle Hill, Throgs Neck, Hunts Point — diverse mix
District 9: Concourse, Highbridge, Morris Heights — substantial Latino community
District 10: Bedford Park, Fordham, Kingsbridge, Marble Hill, Riverdale — most economically and demographically diverse Bronx district
District 11: Co-op City, Williamsbridge, Wakefield, Pelham Parkway, Allerton — substantial middle-class district with strong public schools
District 12: Belmont, Tremont, Crotona Park East, Morrisania — substantial recent investment

Many Bronx schools serve overwhelmingly low-income families and have substantial support infrastructure — free breakfast and lunch (universal in NYC), after-school programs through DYCD, full-time social workers, and Title I funding. The Bronx has been the focus of major school renewal efforts under multiple administrations.

For high school, Bronx students can apply to any NYC high school. The Bronx is home to the Bronx High School of Science (specialized, SHSAT-admission), one of the top-ranked public high schools in the United States. The Bronx also has the High School for Math, Science and Engineering at City College (not located in the Bronx but admits many Bronx students), Eagle Academy for Young Men (multiple campuses), and many smaller specialized programs.

Many Bronx schools offer dual-language Spanish/English programs reflecting the borough''s majority-Latino community.

Cost of Living Context

The Bronx has NYC''s most affordable rental market:

Most expensive (Riverdale, Fieldston, Marble Hill, parts of Pelham Bay): one-bedrooms $1,900-2,800
Mid-range (Fordham, Tremont, Belmont, Soundview, Throgs Neck, Pelham Parkway, Williamsbridge): one-bedrooms $1,500-2,000, generally within payment standards
Most accessible (South Bronx: Mott Haven, Melrose, Hunts Point, Morrisania; central Bronx: parts of Highbridge, Concourse, Morris Heights): one-bedrooms $1,200-1,700, well within payment standards

The Bronx is the most reliable place in NYC to use a Section 8 voucher without rent overage. Voucher payment standards typically cover full unit costs in most Bronx neighborhoods, particularly south and central Bronx.

Project-Based Section 8 in the Bronx

The Bronx has the largest concentration of HPD project-based Section 8 buildings in NYC — properties where the federal subsidy is permanently tied to specific units. These include hundreds of buildings developed through HPD''s affordable housing programs over the past 30 years.

For voucher applicants without a tenant-based voucher, project-based Section 8 is the most accessible path to subsidized housing in the Bronx. Apply through HPD''s Housing Connect lottery system when buildings have vacancies.

For voucher holders looking for housing, many Bronx project-based Section 8 buildings will accept your voucher even though the unit also has project-based subsidy (the project subsidy goes to the building; your voucher pays your share of rent above what the project subsidy covers, up to the payment standard).

Source-of-Income Discrimination Enforcement

The Bronx has lower documented rates of source-of-income discrimination than other boroughs, primarily because Bronx market rents are generally within voucher payment standards (reducing the financial incentive to discriminate) and because many Bronx landlords have decades of experience with Section 8. However, discrimination still occurs, particularly in higher-rent neighborhoods (Riverdale, Pelham Bay, Throgs Neck).

Enforcement actions in the Bronx have included several brokerages and management companies cited by NYC CCHR. Bronx Legal Services, BronxWorks, and CASA New Settlement all offer free representation for source-of-income discrimination cases.

Recent Housing Policy

Bronx-specific housing developments:

2024 CityFHEPS expansion: Brought CityFHEPS payment standards in line with Section 8, making it competitive in the Bronx for the first time
Jerome Avenue Rezoning (2018+): Substantial new affordable housing development along the Jerome Avenue corridor in the West Bronx, much of it incorporating project-based Section 8
East New York/South Bronx affordable housing investments: Ongoing under multiple administrations
Edenwald PACT conversion: One of NYCHA''s largest PACT conversions, with substantial resident services investments

Why Voucher Holders Choose the Bronx

Compared to other boroughs, the Bronx offers voucher holders:

Lowest market rents in NYC — vouchers reliably cover full unit costs
Highest concentration of HPD project-based Section 8 — more reliable inventory
Strong tenant advocacy infrastructure — multiple free legal aid offices
Substantial family-sized inventory — three- and four-bedrooms more common than in other boroughs
Spanish-language services widely available

Neighborhood-Specific Considerations

Bronx voucher-friendly neighborhoods:

South Bronx (Mott Haven, Melrose, Hunts Point, Morrisania): Densest concentration of voucher housing in the borough. See our South Bronx guide.
Fordham: Major Bronx transit hub with substantial voucher inventory. See our Fordham guide.
Tremont: Pre-war apartment buildings with strong voucher acceptance. See our Tremont guide.
Riverdale: Limited voucher inventory due to higher rents; some larger doorman buildings accept. See our Riverdale guide.

Other Bronx neighborhoods with notable voucher inventory: Soundview (Soundview Houses and Bronxdale Houses NYCHA), Castle Hill (Castle Hill Houses NYCHA), Edenwald (Edenwald Houses NYCHA), Highbridge (NYCHA developments and project-based Section 8), Pelham Parkway (mid-century apartment buildings), Co-op City (Mitchell-Lama cooperative housing, separate from Section 8).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Bronx good for voucher holders?: Lower market rents mean voucher payment standards more reliably cover full unit costs, so landlords face less risk of unrented inventory and are more willing to accept vouchers. The Bronx also has a high concentration of HPD project-based Section 8 buildings — properties where the federal subsidy is tied to specific units, providing more stable inventory.
Is the Bronx safe for voucher holders?: Safety varies by neighborhood like anywhere in NYC. The Bronx has seen significant safety improvements over the past decades. Specific neighborhoods including Riverdale, Throggs Neck, Pelham Parkway, and parts of Fordham are considered low-crime. The South Bronx and parts of Hunts Point have higher crime rates than the city average. Researching specific blocks before signing a lease is recommended.
Can I use a voucher in Riverdale?: Yes, though fewer landlords accept vouchers in Riverdale than in central or south Bronx neighborhoods. Riverdale has some Section 8 inventory in larger doorman buildings along Henry Hudson Parkway and Post Road. Rents are higher and the federal payment standard often only partially covers the unit.