Family Homelessness & Eviction Prevention Supplement (FHEPS

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Family Homelessness & Eviction Prevention Supplement (FHEPS)

Fact Sheet

What is FHEPS?

FHEPS is a rent supplement for families who receive Cash Assistance (CA) and who have been

evicted or are facing eviction, or who lost their housing due to domestic violence. Families who have

lost their housing because of health or safety issues or as a result of certain court decisions may also

get FHEPS.

FHEPS can be used to remain in your home, to move within New York City, or to move out of shelter

if you have already lost your home.

If you qualify for FHEPS, part of your rent is covered by a FHEPS supplement paid directly to your

landlord. The FHEPS payment is in addition to the shelter allowance you get for your CA case.

If you or someone you share your apartment or house with has income, you may have to pay part of

the rent yourself.

How do I know if I qualify for FHEPS?

To qualify for FHEPS your family must include a child under 18 years of age, a child under 19 years

of age who is enrolled full-time in high school or a vocational or technical program, or a pregnant

person AND you must either have an active CA case OR, if you are in shelter, qualify for CA once

you leave shelter. You must also meet ONE of the following requirements:

• You are in HRA shelter.

• You are in DHS shelter and eligible for HRA shelter.

• You are in a DHS shelter and were evicted* in NYC sometime in the year before you entered

shelter.

• You are currently in the process of being evicted in NYC or were evicted* in NYC within the

last 12 months, or you have received a rent demand letter from your landlord or management

company.

*Evicted can mean:

• An eviction proceeding against you or the person on the lease for your home.

• A foreclosure action for your building or home.

• A determination by a City agency that you must leave your building or home because of health

and/or safety reasons.

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How long can I get FHEPS?

Eligible families can get FHEPS for up to five years. You can apply for an extension of FHEPS if you

still need help. Your household must meet all eligibility requirements and prove that you have good

cause for needing an extension.

How do I know what FHEPS is going to pay my landlord and how much I will have to pay?

The amount of a household’s FHEPS rent supplement will depend on your household’s income and

the number of people in your household. The amount is decided when your FHEPS application is

approved.

Many families will have their entire rent covered by FHEPS and their CA shelter allowance. However,

there are two important exceptions when you or a household member may be required to pay a

portion of your rent:

• If someone in your household receives CA and has income, such as from a job.

• If your household includes someone who is not required to be on your CA case, such as

someone who receives SSI.

You must pay your landlord the difference between

what HRA pays and the amount of your rent.

How do I know what size apartment I should look for?

The FHEPS payment standards are the maximum amount of subsidy that HRA will pay. These

standards are based on the Section 8 standards used by the New York City Housing Authority

(NYCHA). The standards based on CA family size and unit size are in the table below (Some

exceptions apply. For example, households that have both CA income and income from someone not

receiving CA):

CA Family Size

Unit Size

Payment Standard

Studio

$2,335

1 or 2

$2,387

3 or 4

$2,696

5 or 6

$3,385

7 or 8

$3,647

9 or 10

$4,194

11 or 12

$4,741

13 or 14

$5,288

15 or 16

$5,835

17 or 18

$6,382

19 or 20

$6,929

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Please note that landlords are not allowed to charge any fees other than what is legally stated

in the lease. You should not agree to any side deals and should immediately call HRA at 311 or

718-557-1399 to tell us about any such requests.

You must be able to remain in the home you find for at least 12 months. An agreement or a lease in

writing that says you can live in the home for 12 more months is required when you apply. All leases

are between you and your landlord. The City is not a party to the lease.

Can I stay in the apartment I live in if I owe unpaid rent?

In order to receive payments for unpaid rent, which is also sometimes called “rent arrears,” you must

be able to stay in your apartment for at least 12 more months and have a lease or agreement in

writing from your landlord.

A FHEPS payment of up to $20,000

may be issued on behalf of an eligible family to pay the family’s

portion of unpaid rent for any period of time when the family lived in the apartment. Your family did

not have to be the tenants of record when the rent was first due. If a request is made for a payment

that is greater than $20,000, it will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

What else do I need to know about FHEPS?

HRA needs to know about changes on your case. Changes may increase or lower your FHEPS

rent supplement.

You must let HRA know if any of the following changes happen:

• Your rent changes.

• The landlord or the person that you pay rent to changes.

• The number of people on your CA case changes (for example, if there is a new baby in the

household).

• The income of the people living in the apartment changes.

Also, if a household member does not do something HRA asks and they are sanctioned, the amount

of your FHEPS supplement may change.**

**When a household member is sanctioned, the household’s CA grant and shelter allowance

will be lower. If a sanction happens, your FHEPS supplement will also be lower. You will have

to pay the amount that the shelter allowance and FHEPS supplement are lowered by directly

to your landlord for as long as the sanction is in place.

Maximum arrears payment is subject to State approval. Current amount approved through 12/31/2023.

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The FHEPS rent supplement amount will stop if either of the following happens:

• Your family no longer has a CA case.

• Your family no longer has a child under 18 years of age or under 19 years of age who is a

full-time student regularly attending a secondary school or the equivalent level of vocational or

technical training.

You must report any of these changes to HRA within 10 days. These changes may change the

amount of your shelter allowance, FHEPS benefit, or FHEPS eligibility.

I think I qualify for FHEPS, what do I do next?

If you are not in a shelter and you are at risk of eviction or homelessness, you can submit a request

for help with rent arrears with your Benefits Access Center (BAC). You can submit the request:

• Online using ACCESS HRA (www.nyc.gov/accesshra) or the ACCESS HRA mobile app

• In person at your local BAC.

If you are in a shelter, your FHEPS provider or shelter housing specialist/case manager will explain

FHEPS in more detail and will help you in your search for an apartment.

Families in shelter who are approved for FHEPS may be eligible to receive a furniture allowance.

You should work with your case manager to arrange for moving assistance. Landlords will receive

one month full rent and an additional three months’ rent supplement up-front. Landlords also receive

a security voucher.

I have a FHEPS apartment already, but I need help. Who can I call?

Families who are at risk of eviction or have left a DHS shelter and need support may call 311 or

718-557-1399 to find their local Homebase homelessness prevention office. Families can also visit

https://www1.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/homebase-locations.page to find the Homebase provider that

covers their zip code.

Families who have left an HRA shelter should call 929-221-7270 to be connected to their local

community-based nonresidential program.

The information in this program description provides a general overview of the FHEPS rent

supplement program. It is not intended to provide full details concerning the operation of the

program.