# Help paying rent, staying housed and leaving shelter Source: https://www.qaravan.org/resources/housing/rent-help/ City money and rent subsidies if you are behind on rent, may lose your home or are leaving shelter. Most of these programs belong to the City's Department of Social Services (DSS). It includes the Human Resources Administration (HRA), which handles benefits, and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), which operates the shelters. You apply to HRA [on the ACCESS HRA website or app](https://a069-access.nyc.gov/accesshra/). The rules depend on immigration status: people with a pending asylum case can get some programs and not others. ## Start here - If you are behind on rent, apply for a One Shot Deal (a one-time payment for back rent) on ACCESS HRA, then call [929-273-1872](tel:9292731872) right away for the interview. The line's menu has Russian, and staff bring in a free interpreter. - If you may lose your home, go to the Homebase office for your ZIP code: you can walk in without an appointment, best before noon. - Asylum applicants can get Cash Assistance (HRA's monthly benefit) if they meet the other rules. Public housing and Section 8 do not accept them. ## Which program fits your situation Where to start, by situation | | | | | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ## Cash Assistance, step by step 1. Apply on ACCESS HRA Cash Assistance is monthly money from HRA. Families can get up to 60 months under the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (TANF); single people without children, and families who used their 60 months, get the State's Safety Net program. Apply online on ACCESS HRA. 2. Call for the interview After you apply, call [929-273-1872](tel:9292731872), Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 5 pm, for the interview, and upload your documents in the ACCESS HRA app. The [list of documents (form W-119D)](https://www.nyc.gov/assets/hra/downloads/pdf/W-119D-R.pdf) is available in Russian. The line's menu has Russian, and staff bring in a free interpreter. 3. Check that your immigration status qualifies Safety Net Assistance accepts qualified non-citizens (in federal law, for example green card holders, refugees and people granted asylum) and people the State classes as PRUCOL (immigrants allowed to stay without a green card). This includes people who applied for or were granted asylum, and people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Special Immigrant Juvenile status or parole of less than one year. A State notice of May 12, 2023 says asylum applicants can get it with or without a work permit if they meet the other rules. 4. Wait for your benefits card Everyone approved for Cash Assistance or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, food benefits) gets an EBT card in the mail. If it has not come, an HRA center can give you a temporary card with all your benefits. When you apply for ongoing Cash Assistance, HRA also decides on Medicaid and SNAP. ## One Shot Deal for back rent, step by step 1. Collect your documents HRA asks for your income and savings, ID, immigration status, proof of address, Social Security number or proof you applied for one, school attendance for children under 16, and who lives with you. Add the landlord's demand letter or court papers and a month-by-month breakdown of what you owe. 2. Apply Online on ACCESS HRA, in person at an HRA Benefits Access Center, or on paper by mail or fax. If a disability makes this hard, ask for a home visit or a phone application as a reasonable accommodation. 3. Call for the interview right away The interview is by phone: [929-273-1872](tel:9292731872). Call right away, ideally first thing in the morning; be ready to wait or choose a call-back. If nobody calls back within 48 hours, call again. Upload documents in the ACCESS HRA app or scan them at a Benefits Access Center kiosk. The line's menu has Russian, and staff bring in a free interpreter. 4. Know what HRA looks for That you can pay rent from now on and still cover basic needs; that you have no savings to pay the debt; that the apartment is affordable; and why you fell behind. If someone in the household is older or disabled and eviction would endanger their life, say so. People on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) do not need to show future ability to pay. 5. Check your immigration status At least one person in the household must qualify for Cash Assistance by status. The Legal Aid Society says this includes asylum applicants, TPS applicants and people with parole. A parent without eligible status can apply for a child who lives with them and qualifies. 6. Follow up after 30 days HRA should decide within 30 days. Check the status on ACCESS HRA. If you hear nothing, follow up at your Benefits Access Center. 7. If approved The checks usually go to your landlord or to the Housing Court. If you have a lawyer, they can ask HRA to send the checks to the law office. 8. If denied You can reapply right away or ask for a fair hearing. A fair hearing can take a long time, so while you wait it is often best to reapply with every document and fix any errors. 9. Plan for repayment Most people must repay some or all of a One Shot Deal. People on SSI do not repay emergency grants, including certain back-rent grants. If you are asked to repay more than you can afford, ask for a repayment plan. ## Homebase offices Homebase offices by borough (from HRA's Homebase locations page; under DSS rules Homebase providers must offer phone interpreters: say "Russian") | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Homebase Any status Free Neighborhood offices in all five boroughs, operated by nonprofits with DSS. For people with low incomes at imminent risk of entering shelter who want to stay housed: eviction prevention, benefits, emergency rental assistance, financial counseling, help moving and short-term financial help. Find the office for your ZIP code at [nyc.gov/site/hra/help/homebase-locations.page](https://nyc.gov/site/hra/help/homebase-locations.page); you can walk in without an appointment (best before noon) or book by phone with that office. Bring whatever documents you have: Homebase can help without all of them. After you leave shelter, Homebase also offers aftercare. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/homebase.page) ## CityFHEPS, the City's rent subsidy 1. Ask whether you qualify In a shelter, ask your housing specialist or case manager; from your own home, go to Homebase. Besides the income rule, you need one condition. From a shelter or the street: an adult worked 10 hours a week for the last 30 days; a disability; age 60 or older; an adult cares at home for a disabled family member; service in the U.S. Armed Forces; your DHS shelter is about to close; or a referral by a program that DSS decided shortens shelter stays. From your own home: service in the U.S. Armed Forces and a risk of homelessness; Pathway Home benefits (a friend or relative is paid monthly for up to 12 months to host a household leaving shelter; for people who lived in shelter at least 90 days); a referral by a program that DSS decided avoids shelter entry; or an eviction case in court (or an eviction in the past year) plus one of these: someone lived in a DHS shelter; an open Adult Protective Services (APS) case (the HRA program for physically or mentally impaired adults who need help to live safely at home); a designated community guardianship program (ask HRA what it means for you); or a rent-controlled apartment you will stay in. A single adult working at least 35 hours a week at minimum wage may earn more than 200% of the federal poverty level. 2. Get two letters from DSS The Shopping Letter shows the highest rent allowed for your household and type of home; you can show it to landlords and brokers. The Household Share Letter shows your likely subsidy, what you may pay and why you may qualify; it is for you only. The letters do not mean you are approved. The community FAQ says the Shopping Letter is valid for 120 days. 3. Look for a home You can rent a whole apartment anywhere in New York State. A room or an SRO (single room occupancy) must be in the five boroughs: a room is for no more than two adults and costs at most $1,100 a month; an SRO is for one adult. In a DHS shelter, ask your case manager about help with application fees. 4. Tell your caseworker about the place you found Your case manager or Homebase caseworker sends your documents to DSS. DSS checks the unit and that the rent is no higher than similar units nearby (the rent reasonableness test). DSS will not pay for utilities the landlord does not provide, and side deals with a landlord are not allowed. 5. Read the approval letter It says what DSS pays your landlord and what you pay. This can differ from the Household Share Letter if your details changed. DSS sends the landlord a check for its part each month. 6. Know what a landlord cannot ask A landlord cannot ask for more than your share or for a security deposit: DSS gives them a security voucher. A broker cannot charge you a fee: DSS pays it. A landlord cannot refuse you because of CityFHEPS; if they do, report it to the NYC Commission on Human Rights online at [nyc.gov/reportdiscrimination](https://nyc.gov/reportdiscrimination). 7. Renew on time and contact Homebase if rent gets hard CityFHEPS is renewed every year. The renewal form is mailed five months before the end of your subsidy year; you can send it to CityFHEPSRenewals@hra.nyc.gov. Usually up to four renewals are allowed, with more time for good cause. The five-year limit does not apply to households with someone 60 or older or an adult on federal disability benefits. If rent gets hard after shelter, contact Homebase right away. Two ways into CityFHEPS (the City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement) | | | | | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ## Maximum rents CityFHEPS pays in New York City 2026 payment standards, effective April 1, 2026: for CityFHEPS packages submitted from March 1, 2026 and leases starting from April 1, 2026 (earlier ones may use the 2025 standards). Maximum monthly rent with all utilities included, in the five boroughs | | | | | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ## Which programs accept which immigration status From the Community Service Society chart of May 2026 (other rules also apply) | | | | | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - HPD Section 8 and rental subsidy programs Green card Granted asylum Free HPD gives Section 8 vouchers to families in buildings built or renovated under certain HPD programs, and to homeless people referred by DHS and HRA providers. Applications go only through designated intermediaries; the public cannot apply directly. At least one family member must have citizenship or eligible status. Families typically pay about 30 percent of monthly income in rent. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/section-8-eligibility.page) ## Where to get help - ACCESS HRA Any status Free HRA's website and app: apply for Cash Assistance and a One Shot Deal, upload documents and check your status. [a069-access.nyc.gov](https://a069-access.nyc.gov/accesshra/) - Cash Assistance On-Demand interview line Any status Free The interview for Cash Assistance or a One Shot Deal is done at this number. The line's menu has Russian, and staff bring in a free interpreter. [929-273-1872](tel:9292731872) [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/cash-assistance.page) Mon–Fri 8:30 am–5 pm - DSS OneNumber (Rental Assistance Call Center) Any status Free HRA's line for CityFHEPS and other DSS rent help: its menu has Russian, and staff bring in a free interpreter. Renewals and requests to change your subsidy go to CityFHEPSRenewals@hra.nyc.gov. [718-557-1399](tel:7185571399) [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/cityfheps.page) Rental Assistance Program Unit, 109 East 16th Street, 1st Floor, Room 102, New York, NY 10003 (mail for changes to your subsidy) Mon–Fri 8 am–5 pm - The Legal Aid Society: One-Shot Deals for back rent Any status Free A guide to the documents, the interview, the decision, a fair hearing and repayment. [legalaidnyc.org](https://legalaidnyc.org/get-help/government-benefits/what-you-need-to-know-about-one-shot-deals-for-back-rent/) - Housing Court Answers: One Shot Deals Any status What you need to apply, how to keep your papers in order, what a third party is and what to do if you had a One Shot Deal before. [housingcourtanswers.org](https://housingcourtanswers.org/answers/for-tenants/housing-court-tenants/rent-arrears-tenants/one-shot-deals/) - NYC Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) Any status Free If a landlord or broker refuses CityFHEPS or asks for a side payment, report it online at [nyc.gov/reportdiscrimination](https://nyc.gov/reportdiscrimination) to this City commission, which enforces the anti-discrimination law. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/cchr/about/contact-us.page) ## Glossary: definitions of special terms and abbreviations - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: This is general information, not legal advice: QARAVAN has no lawyers. QARAVAN does not help anyone enter the US and cannot arrange visas, invitations, sponsorship or evacuation. For your own case, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a representative accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice. [All pages: Housing](https://www.qaravan.org/resources/housing/) **Sources, checked November 2026** - [housingcourtanswers.org](https://housingcourtanswers.org/) - [nyc.gov/site/cchr/about/contact-us.page](https://www.nyc.gov/site/cchr/about/contact-us.page) - [nyc.gov/site/hra/help/homebase.page](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/homebase.page) - [nyc.gov/site/hra/help/cash-assistance.page](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/cash-assistance.page) - [legalaidnyc.org/get-help/government-benefits/what-you-need-to-…](https://legalaidnyc.org/get-help/government-benefits/what-you-need-to-know-about-one-shot-deals-for-back-rent/) - [housingcourtanswers.org/answers/for-tenants/housing-court-tena…](https://housingcourtanswers.org/answers/for-tenants/housing-court-tenants/rent-arrears-tenants/one-shot-deals/) - [nyc.gov/site/hra/help/cityfheps.page](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/cityfheps.page) - [nyc.gov/site/hra/help/homebase-locations.page](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/homebase-locations.page) - [legalaidnyc.org](https://www.legalaidnyc.org/) - [nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/section-8-eligibilit…](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/section-8-eligibility.page) - [a069-access.nyc.gov/accesshra](https://a069-access.nyc.gov/accesshra/) - [nyc.gov/site/mayorspeu/programs/contact-the-tenant-support-uni…](https://www.nyc.gov/site/mayorspeu/programs/contact-the-tenant-support-unit.page)