Why is East New York good for large voucher families?

The neighborhood's historic building stock includes many three- and four-family houses with three- and four-bedroom apartments — sizes that are scarce in many other NYC neighborhoods. Many landlords have decades of experience with Section 8, CityFHEPS, and FHEPS, making move-in faster.

Is East New York safe for voucher families?

Safety has improved significantly over the past two decades. Some sections (particularly near Linden Boulevard and parts of southeast East New York) have higher crime rates than the city average; other sections (Cypress Hills, parts of north East New York) are safer. Researching specific blocks before signing a lease is recommended.

New York City/brooklyn

Section 8 Apartments in East New York

East New York has one of NYC's largest concentrations of Section 8 and CityFHEPS voucher housing, with extensive family-sized inventory and many landlords experienced with multiple voucher programs. The neighborhood is one of the most active voucher-friendly markets in the city.

About East New York

East New York is a large neighborhood in easternmost Brooklyn, bordered by Cypress Hills on the north, Brownsville on the west, Canarsie on the south, and the Queens border on the east. The neighborhood has historically been predominantly African American with growing Hispanic, Bangladeshi, and Caribbean American populations. Building stock includes many three- and four-family houses, larger pre-war apartment buildings, and significant NYCHA inventory (Pink Houses, Cypress Hills Houses, Linden Houses, Boulevard Houses).

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104 subsidized & affordable buildings

These buildings have federal rent subsidies attached to the unit — you apply to the building directly and pay about 30% of your income. Most keep their own waiting list, separate from the housing authority's voucher list. Tax-credit buildings are different: their rents are capped based on area income, not set at 30% of your income — contact the management office for current rents.

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Listings in East New York

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ZIP codes in East New York

Section 8 & Affordable Housing in 11207 (East New York, Brooklyn)Section 8 & Affordable Housing in 11208 (East New York, Brooklyn)Section 8 & Affordable Housing in 11239 (East New York, Brooklyn)

Transit Access

East New York is served by the A and C trains (Broadway Junction, Liberty Avenue, Van Siclen, Shepherd, Euclid stations), the J and Z trains (Cleveland, Norwood, Crescent, Cypress Hills, 75th Street stations), the L train (Broadway Junction, Atlantic, Sutter, Livonia, New Lots stations), and the 3 train (Pennsylvania, Saratoga, Rockaway, Junius, New Lots stations). Broadway Junction is one of NYC's most significant transit hubs. The B6, B7, B12, B13, B14, B15, B20, B83, and B84 buses serve the neighborhood.

Voucher Housing in East New York

East New York has very strong Section 8, CityFHEPS, and FHEPS landlord acceptance. The neighborhood's mix of three- and four-family houses (where owners typically live in one unit and rent the others) creates significant voucher-friendly inventory. NYCHA developments add substantial project-based Section 8 housing. East New York has one of the highest concentrations of family-sized voucher housing in NYC.

About East New York

East New York is a large neighborhood in eastern Brooklyn, bordered by Cypress Hills on the north, Brownsville on the west, Canarsie on the south, and the Queens border on the east. The population is approximately 48% Black, 38% Hispanic/Latino (predominantly Puerto Rican and Dominican), 8% Asian (substantial Bangladeshi community), and 6% white or other. Median household income is approximately $42,000 — one of the lower medians in NYC. About 75% of East New York households rent. Roughly 30,000 East New York households use Section 8, CityFHEPS, FHEPS, or other rental assistance — one of the highest concentrations in NYC.

Local Services & Resources

Major hospitals: Brookdale Hospital Medical Center (1 Brookdale Plaza — major Brooklyn hospital), Wyckoff Heights Medical Center (Bushwick border), Kings County Hospital (nearby in East Flatbush — public).

Community organizations: East New York Restoration Local Development Corporation, Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, BUILD (Brooklyn United for Innovative Local Development), East New York Community Land Trust.

HRA services: East New York Job Center (404 Pine St) is the primary HRA office for East New York.

Libraries: New Lots Library (665 New Lots Ave), Cypress Hills Library (1197 Sutter Ave), Brooklyn Public Library locations on Pennsylvania Avenue and Linden Boulevard.

Legal aid: Brooklyn Legal Services Corp A (bka.org), Brooklyn Defender Services, Mobilization for Justice. CAMBA also operates in East New York. Free housing legal help available.

Parks, Museums & Cultural Sites

Highland Park (along Brooklyn-Queens border): 145 acres of parkland on the Brooklyn-Queens border, with reservoir, baseball fields, and ridge offering city views. Linden Park and City Line Park: Smaller neighborhood parks. Jackie Robinson Parkway (formerly Interboro Parkway): Drive through woodlands connecting Brooklyn to Queens. Broadway Junction: Major transit hub serving four subway lines (A/C, J/Z, L) and many buses — architecturally significant station. East New York Farms! (community garden network): Provides fresh produce in a food desert, with several gardens across the neighborhood.

NYCHA Developments in East New York

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

Development	Neighborhood	Address	Units
Pink Houses	East New York/Cypress Hills	2920 Linden Blvd	1,500
Cypress Hills Houses	Cypress Hills/East New York	655 Hegeman Ave	1,440
Linden Houses	East New York	590 Stanley Ave	1,590
Boulevard Houses	East New York	660 Schenck Ave	1,440
Unity Plaza	East New York	Various East New York addresses	800

History & Voucher Demographics

East New York has been a focus of Brooklyn affordable housing development for decades. The neighborhood was developed in the mid-20th century with substantial public housing investment, particularly the NYCHA developments (Pink Houses, Cypress Hills Houses, Linden Houses, Boulevard Houses). Through the late 20th century, the neighborhood faced economic challenges including disinvestment and population loss but has been the focus of substantial NYC-led housing investment since the 2000s, particularly under the de Blasio administration''s East New York Rezoning (2016).

Today East New York has one of the highest concentrations of subsidized housing of any NYC neighborhood. The 2016 East New York Community Plan rezoning added thousands of new affordable housing units, much of it permanently affordable. The neighborhood serves an extremely diverse low-income population including African American, Caribbean American (Jamaican, Trinidadian, Guyanese), Latino (Puerto Rican, Dominican), Bangladeshi, and other immigrant communities.

Schools

East New York is primarily within NYC DOE Community School District 19, which serves East New York, Cypress Hills, and Spring Creek. The district has been a focus of major investment in recent years.

Notable schools: P.S. 7 Abraham Lincoln, P.S. 13 Roberto Clemente, P.S. 158 Warwick, IS 392, IS 364 Gateway School. Multiple new schools have been built under recent NYC capital plans.

Many East New York schools serve overwhelmingly low-income families and have substantial support infrastructure — universal free breakfast and lunch, full-time social workers, and intensive after-school programs through DYCD and community partners.

For high school, East New York has Brooklyn Tech (specialized high school nearby in Fort Greene), the East New York School of Excellence, and many other options through citywide admissions.

Voucher Landscape

East New York has very strong Section 8, CityFHEPS, and FHEPS landlord acceptance — among the highest in NYC:

NYCHA Public Housing: Major developments including Pink Houses, Cypress Hills Houses, Linden Houses, Boulevard Houses, plus smaller properties. Together these provide thousands of public housing units with rents at 30% of household income.
HPD Project-Based Section 8: Substantial inventory in new construction from the East New York Rezoning and earlier affordable housing programs
Private-market Section 8 and CityFHEPS: Three- and four-family houses (where owners typically live in one unit and rent the others), pre-war apartment buildings along the major corridors (Atlantic Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue, Linden Boulevard, Pitkin Avenue), and smaller buildings on residential side streets

Distinctive feature: East New York has the deepest family-sized voucher inventory of any NYC neighborhood. Three-bedroom and four-bedroom apartments at voucher payment standards are easier to find here than anywhere else in the city. The neighborhood is particularly accessible to FHEPS clients (families with children).

East New York Rezoning (2016)

The East New York Community Plan was the first major rezoning adopted under the de Blasio administration. The plan added new development capacity along Atlantic Avenue, Pitkin Avenue, and other corridors, with substantial affordable housing requirements. By 2024, several thousand new affordable units had been built or were under construction.

For voucher families, the rezoning has added new project-based Section 8 inventory and HPD affordable rentals. Some of the new buildings are listed through HPD''s Housing Connect lottery system.

Source-of-Income Enforcement

East New York has lower documented source-of-income discrimination than gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhoods, primarily because most landlords are longtime small operators with extensive voucher experience. However, discrimination does occur, particularly from larger management companies operating newer buildings. Contact Brooklyn Legal Services Corp A for free representation.

Local Organizations

East New York Restoration Local Development Corporation: Long-standing CDC
Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation: CDC for the Cypress Hills section
BUILD (Brooklyn United for Innovative Local Development): Community organizing
East New York Farms!: Community garden network and food justice
East New York Community Land Trust: Newer initiative focused on permanent affordability

For broader Brooklyn context, see our Brooklyn borough guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is East New York good for large voucher families?: The neighborhood's historic building stock includes many three- and four-family houses with three- and four-bedroom apartments — sizes that are scarce in many other NYC neighborhoods. Many landlords have decades of experience with Section 8, CityFHEPS, and FHEPS, making move-in faster.
Is East New York safe for voucher families?: Safety has improved significantly over the past two decades. Some sections (particularly near Linden Boulevard and parts of southeast East New York) have higher crime rates than the city average; other sections (Cypress Hills, parts of north East New York) are safer. Researching specific blocks before signing a lease is recommended.