Applying for a NYCHA Rent Hardship Is Easier Than Ever

NYCHA has simplified its Rent Hardship Policy to make it easier than ever for you to reduce your rent during the COVID-19 crisis.

Who Can Apply for Rent Hardship?

If your hours have been cut at work, or if you have lost your job, please fill out an Interim Recertification application immediately.

As a public housing resident, your rent will always be 30 percent of your household income.

If you have no income at this time, your rent will be ZERO.

There is NO waiting period to report loss of income to NYCHA. Please do not delay.

The standard two-month waiting period normally required to apply for an Interim Recertification has been suspended.

What You Need to Apply for Rent Hardship

Until further notice, NYCHA residents may SELF-CERTIFY their income loss. This means that supporting documents such as pay stubs, a letter from your employer, and/or verification of unemployment benefits, which are usually required to submit the Interim Recertification, are not required at this time.

We will still accept these documents if you have them. We will also accept a handwritten letter from your employer and/or emails, as well as a telephone call from your previous or current supervisor, as verification of your loss of income. However, if none of these items are available at this time, you may provide them to NYCHA at a later date.

With or without these documents, you can SELF-CERTIFY your loss of income, submit your application, and receive a reduction in your rent.

How to Apply for Rent Hardship

For your convenience, there are THREE different ways you may apply for an Interim Recertification:

• Visit NYCHA’s Self-Service Portal at selfserve.nycha.info

• Call NYCHA’s Customer Contact Center (CCC) at 718-707-7771 (option 5)

• Contact your Property Management Office to request a paper application, which will be mailed to you

1). NYCHA Self-Service Portal

Using the NYCHA Self-Service Portal is the quickest and easiest method to apply for rent hardship.  

We simplified the online form. Now there are only 6 steps to reduce your rent. Refer to this guide for the step-by-step process.

Step 1: Go to selfserve.nycha.info.

Step 2: Identify the person in the household who has lost income.

Step 3: Provide the dates of employment for the job where income was reduced or lost; previous  salary; and current salary, if income has been reduced.

Step 4: Provide the type of income that has been lost or reduced.

Step 5: Photograph and upload documents (if available).

Step 6: SELF-CERTIFY and submit.

This online application uses Google Translate to access the application in over 100 languages.

Learn more about the Self-Service process here (English) and here (Spanish).

2). Call the Customer Contact Center (CCC) at 718-707-7771 (Option 5)

Residents can now call the CCC at 718-707-7771 (option 5) to complete the Interim Recertification application over the phone. A NYCHA customer service representative will guide you through a brief set of questions; you can SELF-CERTIFY your income loss and submit the Interim Recertification application over the phone.

Residents who require translation services will be simultaneously connected with the Language Helpline, which will assist throughout the process.

3). Contact Your Property Management Office

Residents may also call their Property Management Office to request a paper Interim Recertification application.

You may provide supporting documents with your paper application or take a picture/upload/scan any documents and email them to your Property Management Office.

Once you have completed and submitted the application, you will be contacted by your Property Management Office to SELF-CERTIFY.

For your convenience, we have translated the application into 13 different languages.

You may use the translated application to review the questions in the language of your choice, but you must complete and submit the English application. 

When Will the Rent Reduction Go into Effect?

Your rent will be adjusted for the month following the submission of the application. Any rent adjustment that does not take place immediately will be retroactive to the first of the month after you initiated the Interim Recertification request.  

If you do not see a change in your rent immediately, NYCHA will accept partial rent payments until the application is processed. 

Thank you for your partnership as we navigate these challenging times together.