NYCHA is the largest landlord in New York City, managing public housing funded by the U.S. government through HUD. Public housing accounts for about 7% of all rental units in NYC and houses between 300,000 and 500,000 people.

Public housing is a type of affordable housing funded by the federal government and operated locally by NYCHA. NYCHA receives money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to build, maintain, and manage public housing developments across New York City.

Public housing apartments are different from private-market apartments because NYCHA is a government landlord and must follow federal rules about how tenants are screened, how rent is calculated, and who can live in an apartment.

Because NYCHA is government-funded, they require information to screen for eligibility and annual updates, liken who lives in your apartment and your household income. This differs from private housing, where landlords do not require such updatesare not obligated to obtain this type of information.

In public housing, rent is set at 30% of a family’s total household income before taxes. If your income increases, your rent goes up. If your income decreases, your rent goes down. In contrast, rent in private housing remains fixed regardless of income changes. 

NYCHA also manages the a Section 8 program, known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program, which provides vouchers to help families afford rent in the private housing market. Voucher holders pay 30% of their income on rent, and NYCHA covers the rest. Having a Section 8 voucher is different from living in public housing.

Having a criminal record does not automatically disqualify you from living in NYCHA housing. Only a few offenses result in permanent ineligibility. Depending on the offense, you may be ineligible for 3–6 years. However, there is a process for challenging ineligibility periods based on criminal background. For more information, click here.

If you need assistance with submitting an RFM claim or understanding your rights as a NYCHA resident, contact our Public Housing Unit by calling 212-298-3450 or emailing publichousingunit@legal-aid.org. Or contact NYCHA’s Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771 for more information.

The information in this document has been prepared by The Legal Aid Society for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. This information is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. You should not act upon any information without retaining professional legal counsel.