More than 400,000 New Yorkers live in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) public housing — one of the largest public housing systems in the United States. NYCHA tenants have specific legal rights that differ in important ways from private market tenants, including rights around repairs, rent, grievances, and protection from termination of tenancy. If you live in NYCHA, understanding these rights is essential.
Your Right to a Safe and Habitable Apartment
NYCHA is legally obligated under federal housing law, HUD regulations, and New York City law to maintain your apartment and common areas in a safe, decent, and sanitary condition. This means NYCHA must:
- Provide functioning heat and hot water (same temperature standards as private landlords: 68°F daytime, 62°F overnight during heat season; hot water year-round)
- Make repairs within legally required timeframes
- Address mold, water intrusion, and moisture damage
- Maintain pest-free conditions
- Keep elevators operational in high-rise buildings
- Ensure working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Maintain functional locks, windows, and doors
How to Request Repairs from NYCHA
Standard Repair Requests
Submit repair requests through the MyNYCHA app (available for iOS and Android) or online at my.nycha.info. You can also call the NYCHA Customer Contact Center at (718) 707-7771, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Always get a work order number when you submit a repair request — this is your documentation that the request was made. Save it.
Emergency Repairs
For emergencies — no heat in winter, gas leaks, flooding, electrical hazards, broken entry door locks — call the NYCHA Customer Contact Center at (718) 707-7771 immediately. Emergency conditions must be addressed within 24 hours under NYCHA’s policy and HUD requirements.
If NYCHA Doesn’t Make Repairs
If NYCHA fails to make repairs after a request, you have several options:
- File an HPD complaint: NYCHA buildings are subject to HPD enforcement. Call 311 or file at nyc.gov/hpd. HPD can issue violations against NYCHA just as it does against private landlords.
- File a grievance: NYCHA has a formal grievance process (described below) for disputes including repair failures.
- Contact your development’s management office in writing, and follow up in writing.
- Contact the NYC Public Advocate’s office or your City Council member’s constituent services office — they can apply pressure on NYCHA.
- File in housing court (HP action): You can bring an HP proceeding to compel NYCHA to make repairs, just as with a private landlord.
Your Right to a Grievance Hearing
NYCHA is required by federal law (24 CFR Part 966) to provide tenants with a grievance procedure for disputes about tenancy, including:
- Repair failures
- Rent disputes or calculation errors
- Transfer denials
- Lease termination or proposed eviction
- Denial of reasonable accommodation requests
- Changes to house rules
To file a grievance, submit a written request to your development’s management office within a reasonable time of the dispute. You are entitled to an informal settlement conference first, and then a formal grievance hearing before a hearing officer if the matter is not resolved informally. You can bring a representative or attorney to the hearing. NYCHA must provide you with a written decision.
Your Right to a Formal Hearing Before Termination of Tenancy
NYCHA cannot terminate your tenancy without following a formal process. Before NYCHA can evict you, it must:
- Send you a written notice specifying the grounds for termination
- Offer you an informal conference with management
- Offer you a formal grievance hearing if the matter is not resolved informally
- Obtain a court order from NYC Housing Court if you do not voluntarily vacate
Grounds for termination of NYCHA tenancy include nonpayment of rent, serious or repeated lease violations, illegal activity in the unit, and misconduct that endangers other residents. Even with valid grounds, NYCHA must follow the full procedural process — you are not required to leave without a housing court judgment.
Your Right to Rent Calculation Review
NYCHA rents are income-based. Residents pay a percentage of their adjusted gross income as rent, with minimums and maximums set by HUD and NYCHA policy. If you believe your rent has been calculated incorrectly, or if your income has changed, you have the right to:
- Request a rent recalculation at your annual recertification
- Request an interim recertification if your income drops significantly (loss of job, reduction in hours, new household member, disability)
- File a grievance if you dispute the calculation
Request interim recertifications through the MyNYCHA app or by contacting your management office. Do not wait for the annual recertification if your income changes — you may be overpaying in the meantime.
Your Right to Reasonable Accommodation
Under the Fair Housing Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, NYCHA must provide reasonable accommodations to residents with disabilities. This can include:
- Transfer to an accessible unit
- Assignment of a unit on a lower floor or near an elevator
- Modified grievance or communication procedures
- Auxiliary aids for residents with hearing or vision impairments
Submit a reasonable accommodation request in writing to your management office. NYCHA must engage in an interactive process and respond to your request. If denied, you can file a grievance or contact the NYC Commission on Human Rights.
Free Help for NYCHA Tenants
- NYCHA Customer Contact Center: (718) 707-7771 — 24/7 for repairs and general inquiries
- Legal Aid Society — NYCHA Unit: (212) 577-3300 — specialized representation for NYCHA tenants
- Legal Services NYC: (917) 661-4500 or lsnyc.org
- Public Advocate’s Office: (212) 669-7250 — constituent services and NYCHA complaint escalation
- 311: For HPD complaints about NYCHA building conditions
- HUD Complaint Hotline: (800) 669-9777 — for federal housing rights violations
Frequently Asked Questions
Can NYCHA evict me without going to court?
No. NYCHA must follow the full termination procedure — written notice, informal conference, grievance hearing — and then obtain a housing court judgment before eviction can be executed. You cannot be physically removed without a court order and a marshal’s warrant.
NYCHA hasn’t fixed my heat in weeks. What are my options?
File an HPD complaint by calling 311 — HPD can issue violations against NYCHA. File a grievance with your management office. Contact your City Council member’s office. If necessary, file an HP action in housing court to compel repairs. Document every repair request and response.
My income dropped. How do I lower my NYCHA rent?
Request an interim recertification immediately through the MyNYCHA app or your management office. Your rent will be recalculated based on your current income. Do not wait for your annual recertification.
Can a family member take over my NYCHA apartment if I move or die?
Possibly. NYCHA has succession rights rules similar to rent-stabilized apartments. Family members who have been listed on the household composition and have lived in the unit continuously for at least one year (two years for non-traditional family members) may be eligible to succeed to the tenancy. Contact NYCHA and a tenant attorney promptly if a primary tenant has moved or died.
