Voucher-Friendly Apartments in Long Island City, Queens
Long Island City, on the western Queens waterfront, pairs new luxury towers with Queensbridge Houses — the largest public housing development in North America — making it a striking contrast and an important area for voucher holders.
About Long Island City
Long Island City (LIC) sits on the western edge of Queens, directly across the East River from Midtown Manhattan. It has boomed with new high-rise development, but its residential core includes Queensbridge Houses and Ravenswood Houses — two of the largest NYCHA developments in the city.
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Long Island City is served by the F train (21st Street-Queensbridge and Court Square), the N and W trains (Queensboro Plaza), the 7 train (Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue, Court Square, Queensboro Plaza), and the E, M, and G trains at Court Square. The Q66, Q69, Q100, and Q102 buses serve the area.
Voucher Housing in Long Island City
Long Island City holds an enormous base of public housing despite its luxury reputation. Queensbridge Houses is the largest public housing development in North America, with more than 3,000 apartments, and neighboring Ravenswood Houses is one of NYCHA's largest as well. Together they anchor a deep supply of subsidized, voucher-friendly homes in a rapidly changing waterfront neighborhood.
About Long Island City
Long Island City is economically split: newer luxury towers along the waterfront sit beside long-standing, largely Black and Latino public-housing communities at Queensbridge and Ravenswood. For voucher holders, the public-housing core is the affordable heart of the neighborhood.
Local Services & Resources
Long Island City has community and legal resources including the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement (based at Queensbridge), Queens Legal Services, and nearby HRA offices. These groups help residents with housing applications, tenant rights, and benefits.
Parks, Museums & Cultural Sites
Landmarks include Gantry Plaza State Park, Queensbridge Park, MoMA PS1, and the Pepsi-Cola sign on the waterfront, with the Queensboro Bridge connecting the neighborhood to Manhattan.
NYCHA Developments in Long Island City
Major NYC Housing Authority developments in this neighborhood. Apply through the NYCHA Self-Service Portal at selfserve.nycha.info.
| Development | Neighborhood | Address | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queensbridge Houses | Long Island City | 10-25 41st Ave | 3,142 |
| Ravenswood Houses | Long Island City | 21-04 36th Ave | — |
Long Island City is one of New York's fastest-growing luxury neighborhoods, but it is also home to Queensbridge Houses — the largest public housing development in North America — which makes it surprisingly important for voucher holders.
Why Long Island City matters for voucher families
Queensbridge Houses holds more than 3,000 apartments, and neighboring Ravenswood Houses is among NYCHA's largest developments. Together they provide a deep supply of subsidized, family-sized homes right on the Manhattan-adjacent waterfront, with excellent transit. While the private market here is expensive, this public-housing core keeps LIC accessible for voucher holders.
Your rights as a voucher holder here
New York protects renters from source-of-income discrimination statewide under the Human Rights Law (Executive Law sections 292 and 296), strengthened by the 2019 Source of Income Non-Discrimination Act. A landlord in Long Island City generally cannot refuse you, charge more, or advertise "no programs" because you would pay with a voucher. You can file a complaint with the NYC Commission on Human Rights or the New York State Division of Human Rights.
How to find a unit
Apply to NYCHA and to HPD project-based buildings through Housing Connect at housingconnect.nyc.gov. Because private-market rents in LIC are high, confirm a unit falls within your voucher payment standard before applying, and work with voucher-friendly brokers and local groups like the Riis Settlement.
Get help
Free housing specialists and legal-aid groups serving Long Island City and western Queens can help you search, apply, and enforce your rights.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Long Island City affordable for voucher holders?
- The private market is expensive, but LIC is home to Queensbridge Houses — the largest public housing development in North America — plus Ravenswood Houses, giving it a deep base of subsidized, voucher-friendly homes.
- Can a landlord in Long Island City refuse my voucher?
- Generally no. New York's statewide Human Rights Law bans source-of-income discrimination, so most landlords cannot refuse you just because you pay with a Housing Choice Voucher, CityFHEPS, or FHEPS.
- How do I find Section 8 housing in Long Island City?
- Apply to NYCHA and to HPD project-based buildings through Housing Connect (housingconnect.nyc.gov), and search the private market with voucher-friendly brokers, confirming the rent fits your payment standard.