On Friday, Quiana Nichol received an email that filled her with dread.
For three years, the 26-year-old has lived in an Elmhurst apartment with rent partially subsidized by a federally funded Emergency Housing Voucher. She was warned that funding for the voucher, which covers most of her rent, will run out before the end of the year, and she will not be eligible for a standard Section 8 voucher.
“It just re-stressed me out. I got super anxious because that just reminded me of being on the street,” Nichol said. “It just had me rethinking my whole life, thinking, should I move or find something more affordable? Because without the voucher, honestly, afford to be here.”
NYCHA is “currently looking at alternative options” for funding the program, according to agency chief Lisa Bova-Hiatt, who spoke at a City Council budget hearing on Tuesday.
The Emergency Housing Voucher program was initially intended to provide rental assistance until 2030, but the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced in March of last year that it would stop funding the program.
The program was designed to support vulnerable populations—including youth aging out of foster care, domestic violence survivors, and people living with HIV/AIDs—cover rent. Approximately 70,000 households nationwide received the vouchers, with recipients typically paying about a third of their income in rent.
In Novel York City, NYCHA provides vouchers to over 5,200 households, while another 2,000 households receive them through the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, totaling more than 16,000 people housed with an Emergency Housing Voucher.
HPD plans to address the funding gap for two years through the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance program, utilizing federal dollars.
NYCHA initially requested that Emergency Housing Voucher holders be transitioned to Section 8 vouchers, but HUD denied this request in February. Since then, NYCHA has not established a firm plan to replace the lost rental subsidies.
Households utilizing Emergency Housing Vouchers have an average income of $18,000, and the vouchers typically cover approximately $1,900 in rent.
Without the vouchers, participants are unlikely to be able to afford rent, which will also negatively impact landlords. Stephanie Rudolph, a staff attorney with The Legal Aid Society, reported receiving numerous calls from panicked clients after the notices were sent on Friday.
“It didn’t necessarily provide any concrete plan, so what I have just been telling my clients is to make sure that their house is in order,” Rudolph said, advising clients to schedule inspections and recertify on time. “It’s a really tough situation, and I’ve just told people to endeavor not to worry yet, but obviously there’s not that much that folks can do in this moment, other than be aware.”
Gabriela Sandoval Requena, vice president of external affairs at New Destiny Housing, stated that their organization also received a surge of messages from voucher holders on Friday, many of whom are “trying to navigate this high level of uncertainty.”
Requena expressed concern that the uncertainty could lead to evictions and force individuals, particularly domestic violence survivors, back into unsafe situations.
For Nichol, losing her Elmhurst apartment is a frightening prospect, as it was challenging to secure in the first place due to a lack of rental history.
“I was hoping I’d never have to go through it again. Honestly, this just feels like it’s about to just happen all over again,” Nichol said. “A lot of us are gonna have eviction notices for the first time because realistically speaking, if a voucher is just shut off, and we’re still in our leases, where are we getting this $3,000 a month?”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Emergency Housing Voucher program?
The Emergency Housing Voucher program was a $5 billion federal program created in 2021 during the COVID crisis to help vulnerable people—including youth aging out of foster care, domestic violence survivors and people living with HIV/AIDs—cover rent.
How many households in New York City are affected?
More than 16,000 people in New York City are housed with an Emergency Housing Voucher, with NYCHA providing vouchers to over 5,200 households and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development providing them to another 2,000 households.
What is HPD doing to address the loss of funding?
HPD plans to plug the gap for two years through the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance program, using federal dollars.
What steps will local communities take to address the potential housing crisis resulting from this funding lapse?
