Most New Yorkers know about Section 8 and CityFHEPS. But there is a third voucher program that launched in New York City earlier this year and most people who qualify have no idea it exists. It is called the Housing Access Voucher Program or HAVP. New York State created it in 2025 and HPD started accepting applications in early March 2026.
What Is HAVP?
HAVP is a state-funded rental assistance program for people who are unhoused or at serious risk of homelessness. You pay about 30 percent of your monthly income toward rent and the government pays the landlord the rest. The vouchers are funded through 2030. The state allocated $50 million statewide for the first year. NYC's share of $32.5 million is expected to create between 900 and 1,100 vouchers according to HPD with each costing roughly $2,500 a month on average.
Who Qualifies?
Your household must earn less than 50 percent of area median income. For a family of three in NYC that is under $72,900 a year. But HAVP has one major advantage: it is open to applicants regardless of immigration status. Section 8 and CityFHEPS both have restrictions that exclude many immigrant New Yorkers. HAVP does not. That is a meaningful difference for families across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island. The rollout is currently prioritizing people in shelter. If you are in a city shelter a housing specialist there applies on your behalf. You cannot apply on your own and there is no formal waitlist.
How It Compares to Section 8 and CityFHEPS
Section 8 is federal and serves 123,000 NYC households. The waitlist reopened last year for the first time in 15 years and 400,000 people applied for just 200,000 slots. Getting in now means a very long wait. CityFHEPS is city-funded and serves over 60,000 households with a current budget of $1.25 billion. Mayor Mamdani appealed a court-ordered expansion of the program due to cost concerns and that expansion is on hold. HAVP is state-funded for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. It is open to immigrants regardless of status and funded through 2030 with NYC expecting to cover 900 to 1,100 households in the first year.
What Landlords Need to Know
Accepting HAVP vouchers is not optional. New York State law prohibits discrimination based on lawful source of income including government housing vouchers. You cannot refuse to rent to someone because they are paying with HAVP, Section 8, or CityFHEPS, and you cannot post listings that say no vouchers. The upside is that voucher tenants come with a government payment deposited directly to you each month. If the tenant's income drops their portion adjusts but the agency payment keeps going. For owners dealing with vacancy risk or inconsistent rent collection that reliability matters.
Why This Matters Right Now
The shelter system is strained. CityFHEPS expansion is tied up in court. Section 8 has a years-long wait. HAVP is active and funded right now with applications already being processed. Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal said it plainly at the March launch: The city has CityFHEPS. The feds have Section 8. What does the state have? HAVP is that answer even if the current $50 million is not yet big enough to meet the full need. Advocates are pushing for $250 million a year and funding runs through 2030.
Next Steps
If you are a tenant in a city shelter talk to your housing specialist about HAVP. You cannot apply directly and a designated agency partner refers you in. If you are a landlord with vacant units now is a good time to get familiar with how voucher placements work. At Global Realty Development we specialize in voucher placements across all five boroughs including Section 8, CityFHEPS, HASA, and now HAVP. We handle tenant screening, lease administration, and agency coordination. Contact us and we will walk you through it.
