Housing Assistance for Single Mothers in New York

Where to start in New York

The right first step depends on where you live and how urgent the problem is. New York City uses HRA, DHS, Homebase, NYCHA, and Housing Connect. Other counties use local DSS offices, housing authorities, state housing programs, and local nonprofit agencies.

Housing costs are often tied to other bills. The ASMOM

New York help guide

can help you check food, health, cash, child care, and local support at the same time.

First-call checklist:

Say your ZIP code or county, how many people live with you, whether you have children, and when the crisis will happen. Ask what is open today, how to apply, whether funds are available, how long a response may take, and what to do if the office says no. Write down the worker’s name and any case number.

Quick reference table

New York City rent and shelter help

Homebase

Homebase helps New Yorkers who may become homeless. It can help you make a housing plan, deal with a landlord problem, connect with benefits, and look for ways to avoid shelter. You do not need to wait until an eviction case starts.

Call the Homebase office that serves your ZIP code before going in. The city says offices provide phone and in-person services and may require an appointment. Homebase cannot promise money or stop every eviction, but it is a strong early step.

One Shot Deal

A One Shot Deal is emergency assistance through HRA. It may help with rent arrears, a utility problem, or another urgent need after a job loss, income drop, medical event, or other crisis. Apply through the

One Shot Deal page

or ACCESS HRA.

Eligibility is decided case by case. You must complete an eligibility interview and send the documents HRA requests. Some or all of the assistance may need to be repaid. HRA should tell you whether repayment applies and how much is owed.

CityFHEPS and FHEPS

CityFHEPS

is a rent supplement for eligible New York City households. It may pay part of the monthly rent for up to five years, and eligible NYC residents may use it for housing anywhere in New York State.

FHEPS

serves eligible families with children who receive Cash Assistance and face eviction, have been evicted, or lost housing because of domestic violence, health, or safety problems.

Neither program is open to every renter. Homebase, an HRA Benefits Access Center, a shelter caseworker, or a legal services office can screen your situation. The apartment, rent, household, benefits case, and other program rules must also be approved.

Which voucher might fit?

Ask Homebase or HRA to check both programs by name. If you already have CityFHEPS, read the annual renewal letter and report household or rent changes promptly. The
official CityFHEPS guidance
explains the renewal and change-request steps. An application, shopping letter, or voucher still does not mean a landlord or unit is approved.

PATH family shelter

Families with children younger than 21 and pregnant people apply for shelter through the

PATH intake center

at 151 East 151st Street in the Bronx. PATH is open 24 hours, including weekends and holidays, while applications are normally processed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The main number is 718-503-6400.

Bring identity papers, birth certificates, Social Security or Medicaid cards, recent pay stubs, and housing papers if you have them. Family workers may help obtain missing information. PATH reviews whether the family has another available housing option. A family found ineligible can ask for a legal conference and may request a state fair hearing.

The
PATH instructions
say a family found ineligible may request a legal conference and has

60 days

to ask for a state fair hearing. Staff can help with language access or missing papers.

Statewide and county help outside NYC

Outside New York City, the local Department of Social Services is usually the main door for emergency rent, temporary housing, Temporary Assistance, SNAP, and HEAP. Use the state

DSS office directory

to find the correct county office.

New York’s

benefits application page

says a person with an emergency need should contact DSS as soon as possible. State guidance says the office should interview the person and give a written decision about the emergency on the day of application.

Emergency Assistance is part of Temporary Assistance. It may help with an urgent problem such as homelessness, pending eviction, temporary housing, overdue rent, lack of heating fuel, or a utility shutoff. You do not always have to qualify for ongoing cash assistance to receive emergency help.

Tell DSS clearly that you have an

immediate need

. New York’s

Temporary Assistance rules

say the office should interview people who report an emergency and give a written decision about that emergency on the day they apply. This does not promise that money or housing will be provided that day. If you receive a denial, ask about an emergency fair hearing.

The former COVID-era

New York ERAP

stopped taking new applications January 20, 2023. Its online portal closed after November 17, 2025. People with older cases can still check official closing and appeal instructions. For new rent arrears, ask HRA or your county DSS.

If you need ongoing cash benefits too, ask DSS to screen you for Temporary Assistance. You can apply for emergency help even if you do not qualify for regular monthly assistance. Rules may change based on household makeup, income, resources, and immigration status. An office can explain what applies in your case.

Eviction, legal help, and voucher discrimination

An eviction is a legal case. This guide gives general information, not legal advice. Read every notice, write down all dates, and keep copies of the lease, rent ledger, payment receipts, texts, emails, and repair requests.

Legal help in New York City

NYC tenants facing eviction in Housing Court or a NYCHA administrative case can ask for free legal help through Right to Counsel. Services are available in every ZIP code and regardless of immigration status. At your first court appearance, say, “I would like an attorney.”

Legal help outside NYC

The nonprofit

Eviction Help tool

connects renters in upstate New York and Long Island with information and possible free legal services. Capacity and income rules vary, so apply as early as possible.

The ASMOM

New York legal guide

lists more places to ask about eviction, unsafe housing, lockouts, and other civil legal problems.

If a landlord refuses your voucher

New York generally protects lawful sources of income, including housing vouchers, public assistance, Social Security, and child support. Save the apartment listing, messages, emails, voicemail, application denial, and the exact words used.

The New York Attorney General has a

source-income complaint form

for possible voucher or benefit discrimination. You may also use the

state human rights page

to ask about a discrimination complaint. Exceptions and deadlines may apply, so legal help can be important.

It is not always clear which exception or deadline applies to a building or complaint. A legal aid worker can help review the listing and your evidence. NYC residents can also call 311 and ask for the Commission on Human Rights. Do not pay a person who promises to force a landlord to accept a voucher.

Section 8 and affordable apartments

Housing Choice Vouchers, often called Section 8, help eligible households rent from private landlords. Project-based vouchers are tied to a specific apartment or building. Public housing is owned or managed by a housing authority. These programs can lower rent, but they usually have waitlists.

NYCHA Section 8

NYCHA is not accepting general Section 8 applications. The

NYCHA program update

also says the pause on outreach and new tenant-based vouchers for people on the general waitlist remains in effect. People already on the list should keep contact and household information current in the Self-Service Portal.

NYCHA says its pause for the

general

waiting list does not mean that people already on it have lost their place. Log in to the Self-Service Portal to correct your address or phone number, and respond by the date on any notice. NYCHA lists some special-admission referral programs separately; these are not a general application route.

Already have an Emergency Housing Voucher?

Check which city agency issued it.

This part is for current voucher holders, not families seeking a new voucher. The federal Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program is ending in 2026, but

HPD and NYCHA have different instructions

.

• 
  HPD EHV:
  
  HPD says certain families in good standing who were leasing a home with an HPD EHV on September 30, 2026 will be moved to a Tenant Protection Voucher without a new application. Read
  
  HPD’s EHV transition notice
  
  . HPD lists a participant information session on
  
  October 15, 2026 at 6 p.m.
  
  If you were already admitted to HOME TBRA, HPD says you stay in that program instead. Call HPD at 212-863-8031 with case questions.
• 
  NYCHA EHV:
  
  Do
  
  not
  
  assume the HPD plan covers a NYCHA voucher. NYCHA warns that its EHV funding ends in late 2026 and has separate public housing and HOME TBRA referral steps and time limits. Read
  
  NYCHA’s current EHV guidance
  
  and call NYCHA at 718-707-7771 if an offer or deadline is unclear. Some referral deadlines have passed; ask what applies to your case.

Keep recertification, contact details, and inspection appointments up to date. Do not give up your lease or stop paying your share because you saw a general news story about a voucher change. Ask your issuing agency and a tenant lawyer about your own notice.

HCR and local housing authorities

Outside NYCHA, use the state
HCR voucher page
to find local program administrators and project-based lists. Each administrator or building may have its own waitlist, area, income rules, and application method. Apply to more than one real open list when allowed.

Not sure what to request?

Ask the local administrator whether the open list is for a portable Housing Choice Voucher, one project-based apartment, or public housing. Ask about income rules, family unit sizes, any preference, access needs, selection method, and whether you can apply without a current lease. A waiting-list place is not a promised apartment or a rent payment.

Affordable rental searches

The ASMOM

Section 8 guide

explains applications, waitlists, rent shares, and common scams.

Utility, food, cash, and child care help

New York’s Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) may help eligible households pay for heating or cooling. The

state HEAP program

lists seasonal rules. The

2025–26 Regular HEAP period closed April 10, 2026

, and

Cooling Assistance closed June 5, 2026

. Those are past dates, not current application windows.

For the new season, an

Erie County announcement

says 2026–27 regular HEAP applications are expected to start

November 2, 2026

. The city’s

ACCESS NYC HEAP page

still says new-season applications are not yet open as of this review. Confirm dates and local rules before you apply. If a shutoff is near, tell DSS and your utility company now; do not wait for regular HEAP to open.

If the utility bill is past due, call the utility company and ask about a payment plan, low-income rate, medical protection when applicable, and local emergency funds. The ASMOM

New York utility guide

gives more starting points.

Reducing other bills can protect rent money. Check the ASMOM

New York SNAP guide

for food help and the

New York child care guide

for subsidy information.

Documents and information to gather

Ask for help even if some papers are missing. For applications and court, gather what you have and ask which items can come later. Keep originals safe and make copies or phone photos when possible. If you do not have a fixed address, ask where notices can be sent safely.

After you apply:

Save the screen that says your form was sent. Check mail, phone, email, and your portal for interviews or missing-paper requests. Give only the requested information through an official agency site or trusted provider.

Backup options while you wait

• Ask HRA or DSS about SNAP, cash assistance, child care, utility help, and emergency housing.
• Ask your child’s school for the McKinney-Vento liaison if your family is in shelter, a motel, a car, or temporarily staying with others after losing housing. The
  
  state school program
  
  explains educational support for students without stable housing.
• Apply to affordable properties and voucher lists every week, but do not pay anyone who promises selection.
• If abuse or stalking affects housing, contact a confidential advocate before sharing your address or moving plans. The
  New York survivor help
  explains hotline and local options; use a safer device if needed.
• If you own a home and face foreclosure, note that the New York Homeowner Assistance Fund is closed. The state
  
  homeowner resources page
  
  points to free housing counseling and other options.

If you lose furniture, bedding, or basic items after a move or shelter stay, the ASMOM

New York furniture guide

has ways to ask about local household supplies. Ask local agencies about delivery rules and current stock before traveling.

Future buyers can review the official

SONYMA homebuyer programs

and the ASMOM

New York homebuyer guide

before choosing a lender.