Section 8 Apartments in Brooklyn

Subsidized & affordable housing in Brooklyn

647 buildings · 89,675 apartments

• 99 Project-based Section 8
• 68 Senior 62+ (Section 202)
• 2 Disability (Section 811)
• 38 Public housing
• 440 Tax-credit

Neighborhoods in Brooklyn

Transit Access

Brooklyn has extensive subway coverage. Key voucher-friendly neighborhood transit: Bed-Stuy is served by A/C, G, and J/M/Z trains plus the B25, B26, B43, B44 buses. Crown Heights has 2/3, 4/5, A/C, S (Franklin Avenue Shuttle), and B45/B49 buses. Flatbush has 2/5, B/Q, and many bus lines including the B6, B41, B44, B49. East New York has A/C, J/Z, L, and 3 trains. Bushwick is served by J/M/Z and L trains. Williamsburg has L, J/M/Z, and G trains. Coney Island has D/F/N/Q. The G train connects Brooklyn to Queens without going through Manhattan. The LIRR's Atlantic Branch serves Atlantic Terminal in downtown Brooklyn.

Voucher Housing in Brooklyn

Brooklyn has the most active voucher-friendly rental market in NYC. Section 8 acceptance is widespread, particularly in Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights, East New York, Brownsville, and Flatbush. CityFHEPS and FHEPS have strong landlord acceptance in central Brooklyn. NYCHA operates the largest borough portfolio with major properties including Marcy Houses, Pink Houses, Bushwick Houses, Brownsville Houses, Tilden Houses, and Red Hook Houses (NYCHA's second-largest single development). Brownstone units, owner-occupied multi-family buildings, and renovated walkups are particularly common voucher-accepting housing.

Local Services & Resources

Parks, Museums & Cultural Sites

NYCHA Developments in Brooklyn

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

Schools

Brooklyn public schools are organized into community school districts:

• District 13: Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Boerum Hill, Bedford-Stuyvesant (west) — mix of high-performing schools and significant equity challenges
• District 14: Williamsburg, Greenpoint — substantial Latino and Hasidic populations served
• District 15: Park Slope, Sunset Park, Carroll Gardens, Red Hook — high-performing district, intentionally desegregated middle school admissions
• District 16: Bedford-Stuyvesant (eastern), parts of Crown Heights — historically underserved with recent investments
• District 17: Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens — diverse mix
• District 18: East Flatbush, Canarsie — large Caribbean American student population
• District 19: East New York, Cypress Hills — large voucher and Section 8 family population
• District 20: Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Borough Park — large Asian and Orthodox Jewish populations
• District 21: Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Sea Gate — large Russian-speaking population
• District 22: Marine Park, Midwood, Sheepshead Bay — diverse middle-class district
• District 23: Brownsville, Ocean Hill — historically underserved with significant investment
• District 32: Bushwick — primarily Latino student population, dual-language Spanish/English options

Brooklyn schools serve substantial voucher and Section 8 families. Many schools offer free breakfast and lunch (universal in NYC), after-school programs through DYCD, and Title I supplemental funding.

For high school, Brooklyn students can apply to any NYC high school regardless of where they live. Brooklyn has multiple specialized high schools (Brooklyn Tech, Brooklyn Latin) and many strong unscreened and screened high schools.

What Your Voucher Covers

Voucher rent limits are set by each program, not by neighborhood. For new leases in 2026, CityFHEPS and NYCHA Section 8 cover rents up to $2,604 for a studio, $2,734 for a 1-bedroom, $2,997 for a 2-bedroom and $3,753 for a 3-bedroom, with all utilities included. HPD Section 8 sets its own payment standards. Rents vary widely from building to building, so check each apartment's rent against your shopping letter or voucher before you apply. Our CityFHEPS voucher amounts guide has the full 2026 table.

Source-of-Income Discrimination Enforcement

Brooklyn has substantial documented source-of-income discrimination, particularly in gentrifying neighborhoods (Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights, Bushwick, Williamsburg). The Fair Housing Justice Center and Housing Rights Initiative actively investigate Brooklyn landlords.

Recent enforcement actions have included settlements with major Brooklyn brokerages and management companies for systematic discrimination against Section 8 holders. Some Brooklyn landlords have been ordered to pay damages, undergo fair housing training, and submit to compliance monitoring.

If you face discrimination in your Brooklyn housing search, file with NYC CCHR and contact Brooklyn Legal Services Corp A or Brooklyn Legal Services for free representation. See our guide on source of income discrimination in NYC.

Recent Housing Policy

Brooklyn has been at the center of significant recent NYC housing policy:

• 2024 CityFHEPS expansion: Brought CityFHEPS payment standards in line with Section 8, expanding voucher options in central Brooklyn
• NYCHA PACT conversions: Multiple Brooklyn NYCHA developments have undergone or are undergoing PACT conversions, including Williamsburg Houses and others
• East New York rezoning (2016+): Substantial new housing construction in East New York under the de Blasio administration''s rezoning, much of it permanently affordable
• Local Law 1 (lead paint): Strict enforcement affecting many older Brooklyn buildings; voucher inspections check for lead paint hazards in pre-1978 units

Neighborhood-Specific Considerations

Brooklyn has the most distinct voucher-friendly neighborhoods of any borough:

• Bedford-Stuyvesant: Largest concentration of voucher-accepting brownstones in NYC. See our Bed-Stuy guide.
• Crown Heights: Strong Section 8 and CityFHEPS market in pre-war buildings. See our Crown Heights guide.
• Flatbush (and East Flatbush): Substantial family-sized inventory, Caribbean American community. See our Flatbush guide.
• East New York: NYC''s largest voucher-friendly market with significant CityFHEPS and FHEPS inventory. See our East New York guide.
• Bushwick: Growing voucher market in pre-war buildings; strong Spanish-language community services. See our Bushwick guide.

Other Brooklyn neighborhoods with notable voucher inventory: Brownsville (substantial HPD project-based Section 8), Canarsie (Bay View Houses NYCHA), Sunset Park (growing CityFHEPS), Coney Island (NYCHA developments and pre-war buildings), Williamsburg (Williamsburg Houses NYCHA).

Using CityFHEPS in Brooklyn

CityFHEPS vouchers work in Brooklyn too. See our guide to CityFHEPS apartments for rent in Brooklyn for 2026 maximum rents and the steps to rent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Brooklyn neighborhoods are best for Section 8?

Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights, East New York, Brownsville, and Flatbush have the most Section 8 voucher-accepting landlords. These central and south Brooklyn neighborhoods have rents within federal payment standards and many landlords experienced with the program. Bushwick and Sunset Park have growing acceptance.

Are voucher holders allowed in Brooklyn brownstones?

Yes. Many small Brooklyn brownstone owners accept Section 8 and other vouchers, particularly in Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights, and Prospect Lefferts Gardens. The owner-occupied multi-family brownstone (where the owner lives on one floor and rents the others) is a common voucher-friendly setup.

What is the difference between Brooklyn NYCHA and Section 8?

NYCHA Brooklyn is public housing — the agency owns and operates the buildings, and rent is calculated as 30% of household income. Section 8 (Housing Choice Voucher) is portable — the tenant uses the voucher in a private-market apartment, and the rest of the rent is paid to the landlord. NYCHA administers both programs, but the housing is different.