Lawyers Manual - Unified Court System

274 Amy E. Schwartz and Sharon Stapel
buildings. Housing is available to applicants who meet income and other
eligibility requirements (such as immigration status and criminal record status)
developed by both HUD and the local public housing authority. 116 Those who
apply for assistance at a housing program with a stated domestic violence
priority preference policy will likely be asked to document the abuse.
The public housing authority operates like a landlord and is responsible for
collecting rent, selecting tenants and managing the units. The amount of rent a
tenant pays will vary depending upon the size of the unit and the tenant’s
income. Some public housing authorities may also offer additional services such
as on-site employment training and children’s services.
New York City Housing Authority’s Public Housing Programs
NYCHA offers domestic violence survivors priority when applying for an
apartment in NYCHA housing or when requesting a transfer within the housing
authority. Priority status allows an application for NYCHA housing to be
processed more quickly than other applications, but approval can take several
months. Once approved, applicants will be placed on a waiting list until an
apartment becomes available. Applicants do not have to be in the shelter system
to qualify for the domestic violence priority. 117
In New York City, applicants may not move within specified zip code zones
(e.g., the zip code in which they lived when the violence occurred and
surrounding zip codes). 118 Staten Island has not been divided into zones, and
Staten Island residents will not be able to remain on Staten Island. Approval can
take several months.
Additional Requirements for New York City’s Public Housing Options
Every member of the family on the Section 8 or NYCHA application is
subject to a criminal background check, which NYCHA runs based on name,
date of birth and social security number. Criminal convictions could affect
eligibility. 119 Applicants who owe past rental arrears for a NYCHA, Section 8
apartment are not eligible to apply for these programs until the arrears have
been paid. Although some categories of immigrants are eligible to apply for
public housing and Section 8 assistance, in cases in which one family member is
ineligible, there is a detailed formula to determine the amount that individuals
would have to contribute towards rent.
Housing Stability Plus (New York City)
In New York City, Housing Stability Plus (HSP or “The Plus Program”) is a
permanent housing subsidy available to New York City residents who are