The Legal Aid Society and Legal Services NYC jointly sued the New York City Housing Authority for its failure to timely reduce tenants’ Section 8 rent share following a reduction in household income. Section 8 housing voucher holders can ask for an interim recertification when their income decreases and PHAs are required to lower tenants’ rent. NYCHA delayed processing the interim recertifications, in some cases for more than a year, leaving our clients’ rents at unaffordable levels, while also burdening these clients with unnecessary Housing Court proceedings and the ongoing threat of eviction.

In 2012, we secured a settlement agreement to drastically speed up NYCHA’s income recertification processing times. NYCHA agreed to complete the processing of recertifications within 30 days of receiving a tenant’s required information and documentation, with limited exception.