Section 8 Apartments in Crown Heights

Transit Access

Crown Heights is served by the 2 and 3 trains (Sterling Street, Winthrop-Franklin, Crown Heights-Utica stations), the 4 and 5 trains (Crown Heights-Utica), the A and C trains (Utica Avenue), and the Franklin Avenue S shuttle. The B45, B46 SBS, B47, B48, B49, and B65 buses serve the neighborhood. Eastern Parkway is the main east-west corridor and has subway access at multiple points.

Voucher Housing in Crown Heights

Crown Heights has strong Section 8 acceptance in pre-war apartment buildings, particularly along Eastern Parkway, Franklin Avenue, and Nostrand Avenue. CityFHEPS landlord acceptance is among the highest in Brooklyn. Many Caribbean American landlords with multi-generational ownership accept vouchers, and Yiddish-speaking Orthodox Jewish landlords in western Crown Heights occasionally accept them in specific buildings.

Local Services & Resources

Parks, Museums & Cultural Sites

NYCHA Developments in Crown Heights

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

History & Cultural Identity

Crown Heights developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a middle-class neighborhood with both Jewish and African American populations. Through the 20th century the demographics shifted: large-scale Caribbean American immigration from the 1960s onward made Crown Heights the largest Caribbean American neighborhood in NYC; the Lubavitch Hasidic community established its world headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway and continues to anchor western Crown Heights.

The 1991 Crown Heights riot — sparked by a car accident that killed a Black child, leading to days of violence between the Black community and Hasidic community — was a defining moment that the neighborhood has worked to move past through community mediation, dialogue programs, and joint civic efforts.

Today Crown Heights is one of NYC''s most internationally diverse neighborhoods, hosting the West Indian Day Parade (one of NYC''s largest cultural celebrations) and serving as a major center of Caribbean culture, food, and political activism.

Schools

Crown Heights spans NYC DOE Community School District 17 (central Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens) and parts of District 13 (western Crown Heights, toward Fort Greene).

Notable schools: P.S. 161 The Crown School, P.S. 167 The Parkway, IS 320 Jackie Robinson, Medgar Evers College Preparatory School (high school).

Many Crown Heights schools offer dual-language programs reflecting the neighborhood''s diversity, particularly French-English (for Haitian Creole speakers) and various Caribbean cultural curricula. Many schools serve substantial voucher and Section 8 families.

Voucher Landscape

Crown Heights has strong Section 8 and CityFHEPS landlord acceptance, particularly in pre-war apartment buildings along Eastern Parkway, Franklin Avenue, Nostrand Avenue, and the side streets. Many Caribbean American landlords with multi-generational property ownership have decades of voucher experience.

CityFHEPS acceptance is among the highest in Brooklyn. The 2024 payment standard increase made the program competitive with Section 8 for most Crown Heights units.

Building stock: Crown Heights has substantial pre-war apartment buildings (5-7 story), brownstones along Eastern Parkway and side streets, and several NYCHA developments. The eastern part of the neighborhood (closer to Brownsville border) has the most voucher inventory; western Crown Heights (closer to Prospect Park) has experienced significant gentrification.

Caribbean American Community

For Caribbean American voucher families, Crown Heights offers unmatched cultural infrastructure: Jamaican, Trinidadian, Haitian, and Guyanese restaurants and grocers (Nostrand and Flatbush Avenues), Caribbean-focused community organizations, Caribbean cultural events year-round (the West Indian Day Parade is the largest), and French-speaking services for Haitian community.

Many Crown Heights elected officials are Caribbean American, and the community has been politically active in housing rights and immigrant rights.

Gentrification Impact

Crown Heights has experienced significant gentrification since 2010, particularly in western blocks (closer to Prospect Park) and along Franklin Avenue. Property values have risen substantially. The practical effects for voucher families:

• Western Crown Heights (closer to Prospect Heights) has fewer voucher-accepting buildings
• Central and eastern Crown Heights remains broadly accessible to voucher families
• Many longtime Caribbean American landlords continue to accept vouchers
• The 2024 CityFHEPS payment standard increase brought more buildings within program reach

Source-of-Income Enforcement

Crown Heights has documented source-of-income discrimination, particularly in newer rental developments along Franklin Avenue and from out-of-neighborhood management companies. Contact Brooklyn Legal Services Corp A for free representation.

Local Organizations

• Crown Heights Community Mediation Center: Tenant-landlord mediation and community building
• Brooklyn Movement Center: Community organizing and tenant advocacy
• Caribbean Women''s Health Association: Women-focused health and family services
• Bridge Street Development Corporation: CDC focused on Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights

For broader Brooklyn context, see our Brooklyn borough guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Crown Heights still affordable for voucher holders?

Yes, particularly in eastern Crown Heights. Western Crown Heights (closer to Prospect Park) has gentrified significantly and some buildings are now above voucher payment standards. Eastern Crown Heights remains broadly accessible. The neighborhood has substantial CityFHEPS inventory at units that fit program payment standards.

Are there voucher-friendly buildings near the Brooklyn Botanic Garden?

Yes, particularly along Eastern Parkway between Washington and Nostrand. Many of the pre-war buildings facing the parkway accept Section 8. The northern side of Eastern Parkway has notable inventory.