The Housing Choice Voucher Program / Section 8, allows families to select housing of their own choice in their chosen neighborhood. When a prospective apartment is found, the rent must be reasonable relative to comparable market rate housing in the area, and the apartment must meet Housing Quality Standards (HQS) set by HUD. A family may choose a unit with a higher rent than the maximum limit allowed for subsidy (known as the payment standard) and pay the owner the difference. However, a family cannot pay more than 40% of income when initially moving to a new unit.
Section 8 participants are required by federal law to submit household income documentation each year to determine continued eligibility in the program. This process is called the recertification or the annual review.
An annual apartment inspection is conducted by NYCHA inspectors on all apartments to ensure compliance with HUD’s Housing Quality Standards (HQS).
Forms for Tenant Use
