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How Does New York City's Voucher System Work?

 

How New York City's Voucher System Works

Photo Credit: dechevm - stock.adobe.com

In many ways, the homelessness crisis in America is akin to a hydra: Cut off one avenue and two more pop up in its place. One way our city tries to turn the tide of homelessness is through its voucher program. This blog post will discuss how New York City’s voucher system works and whether it will ever meet the needs of those experiencing homelessness. 

What Is New York City’s Voucher System? 

Also known as Section 8, the Housing Choice Voucher program, created through the passage of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1978, provides eligible low- and middle-income families with rent subsidies to limit the percentage of their income spent on housing in the private market. A family’s gross annual income and size factor into their eligibility. A typical recipient will spend no more than 40 percent of their income on rent and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) will cover the rest. 

To retain their Section 8 voucher, recipients must: 

  • Complete annual recertification 
  • Report changes in income, assets and family composition
  • Allow access of their rented unit to NYCHA or HUD for inspection 
  • Allow access of their rented unit to property owners for repairs 
  • Maintain their rented unit in accordance with Housing Quality Standards 
  • Follow conduct requirements, and 
  • Comply with the terms of the lease signed with an owner

All this information and more can be found in the HCV Program Guide for Voucher Holders. 

Who Receives Housing Vouchers in New York? 

According to nyc.gov, those seeking housing vouchers must meet the following eligibility requirements: 

  • At least one member of the applicant family must be able to document their citizenship or legal immigration status 
  • An applicant must supply all social security numbers of members claiming citizenship or legal immigration status 
  • No member can have prior convictions for the production of methamphetamines in federally-assisted housing 
  • No member can be subject to lifetime registration in any state’s sex offender database, and 
  • Based on their size, the applicant family must be within the appropriate income limits as outlined here. 

Is New York City’s Voucher System Effective? 

By limiting how much recipients pay on rent, vouchers make life in the United States’ largest city much more affordable. In fact, nearly 90 percent of recipients face no rent burden and experience eviction far less often than other renter households living nearby. [1] However, too few are available to effectively halt the rise in homelessness. That is due in part to the fact that New York City voucher holders spend 15 years in the program, whereas 8 years is the national average. Many also live in buildings subsidized by other government programs in neighborhoods experiencing high levels of poverty, unemployment and crime. Only about 50 percent of recipients will actually succeed in using their vouchers, because Section 8 vouchers expire after 120 days, if the recipient can’t obtain eligible housing. 

Thankfully, Mentor A Promise and its network of partner organizations were founded to meet the needs of this vulnerable population. 

Contact Mentor A Promise Today 

Our organization recognizes the immense potential within each individual and seeks to provide them with the educational resources and opportunities they need to thrive. To that end, we have built a strong network of family shelters, educational institutions and community organizations to support homeless children, youths and their families. Click these links to learn more about what we offer or to get involved. Together, we can break the cycle of homelessness. 

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