Section 8 Apartments in East New York

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. Studios typically run $1,200-$1,600; one-bedrooms $1,400-$1,900; two-bedrooms $1,600-$2,300; three-bedrooms $2,000-$2,700; four-bedrooms $2,400-$3,200. East New York has one of the highest concentrations of family-sized voucher housing in NYC.

Local Services & Resources

Parks, Museums & Cultural Sites

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.

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.