If you are struggling to pay rent in New York City, there is one program that will do more for you than almost any other: CityFHEPS. It stands for City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement, and it is the city’s tenant-based rental voucher. Per the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA), a CityFHEPS voucher can pay part of your rent for up to five years, and it is portable anywhere in New York State.
It is also the program most eligible New Yorkers never finish applying for. The paperwork is dense, the eligibility rules have been rewritten multiple times since 2023, and frontline staff are overwhelmed. Here is what you need to know in 2026 to get through the door.
What CityFHEPS Actually Does
CityFHEPS pays the portion of your rent that exceeds 30% of your household income, up to the program’s maximum rent limits. You pay 30% of your monthly income toward rent. The city pays the rest, directly to the landlord. The subsidy is renewable annually for up to five years.
In practical terms, that can mean a family paying $400 a month out of pocket for an apartment that rents at $2,500. It is not a guarantee of housing — you still have to find a landlord willing to accept the voucher — but it is one of the few programs in the city that can actually close the affordability gap for a working-poor household.
Who Qualifies in 2026
Per the current HRA CityFHEPS eligibility rules (DSS-7r, updated January 2026), your household generally has to meet all of these conditions:
- Income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. For a household of one in 2026, that is roughly $31,300 annual gross income. For a household of four, it is roughly $64,300. Exact thresholds adjust each year based on the federal poverty guidelines.
- A qualifying housing situation. You either need to be facing eviction, currently in the NYC shelter system, or at imminent risk of entering shelter.
- Cash Assistance if you are eligible for it. If your household qualifies for Cash Assistance (CA), you must be actively receiving it to get CityFHEPS.
- No active HRA sanction. If anyone in your household has a “sanction” on their case, you will need to clear it at a DSS/HRA Benefits Access Center before CityFHEPS can be issued.
One important note: if you are currently in an NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS) or HRA shelter, your eligibility is generally determined automatically, and shelter staff should walk you through the process. You should not be sent out to apply on your own.
How to Apply Step by Step
There are three standard paths in for 2026:
Path 1: You are facing eviction but not yet in shelter. Contact a Homebase office in your borough. Homebase is the city’s homelessness-prevention program, and every Homebase site has staff trained to submit a CityFHEPS application on your behalf. You can find your nearest Homebase by calling 311 and asking for Homebase services, or by visiting the NYC HRA Homebase page.
Path 2: You are currently in a DHS or HRA shelter. Your shelter housing specialist is your point of contact. They should initiate the application automatically. If weeks have passed and nothing is moving, ask for a case conference in writing and bring it to the shelter director.
Path 3: You are receiving Cash Assistance or have been referred by a DSS/HRA worker. Your HRA caseworker can start the CityFHEPS process through your existing case. Request it explicitly — do not assume it will be offered.
The “Shopping Letter” Stage
If HRA approves you, you will receive two documents: a shopping letter and a household share letter. The shopping letter is your ticket. It tells landlords the maximum monthly rent you can pay with the voucher based on your household size, and it confirms that the city will pay the subsidy portion on time.
You then have a set window — typically 120 days — to find an apartment that meets the program’s rent limits, passes a city inspection, and has a landlord willing to sign the CityFHEPS lease rider. You can search anywhere in New York State.
If a Landlord Refuses Your Voucher
This is critical: under New York State Human Rights Law and the NYC Human Rights Law, it is illegal for a landlord, broker, or real estate agent to refuse to rent to you because you have a CityFHEPS voucher. This is called “source of income” discrimination, and it is one of the most common reasons voucher holders fail to find an apartment.
If a landlord tells you they “don’t take programs,” “don’t accept vouchers,” or that the apartment “just got rented” after you mention CityFHEPS, document it in writing (text, email) and file a complaint with the NYC Commission on Human Rights at nyc.gov/cchr or by calling 311. You can also contact a free housing attorney through NYC Right to Counsel.
Action Steps
- If you are facing eviction, find your nearest Homebase office now — do not wait for a court date. Call 311 and say “Homebase.”
- If you are in a shelter, ask your housing specialist in writing for the status of your CityFHEPS application this week.
- If you already have a shopping letter, save time by looking at listings that explicitly state “vouchers welcome” or “CityFHEPS accepted,” and bring a written offer any time you view an apartment.
- Call the HRA Rental Assistance Call Center at 718-557-1399 (DSS OneNumber) if you have been stuck for more than two weeks at any stage.
- If you are not sure whether CityFHEPS is your best option, read our guide to NYC emergency rental assistance programs to compare alternatives like One-Shot Deal and the statewide ERAP.
- If you believe you have been discriminated against for holding a voucher, file with the NYC Commission on Human Rights and connect with free legal help through Right to Counsel.
Bottom Line
CityFHEPS is the most powerful rental-assistance tool the city offers, and it is underused. If your household is under 200% of the federal poverty level and you are facing eviction or at risk of it, you are likely eligible. The application is not complicated in theory — it is just slow in practice. The key is to start now, work with Homebase or a shelter housing specialist rather than trying to submit paperwork cold, and know your legal rights the moment a landlord resists the voucher.
