Family with baby sitting in front yard of home
 

Section 8 Rental Assistance

The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, also known as Section 8, is a Federal program managed by New York State Homes and Community Renewal, that provides rental assistance for very low-income families. This program allows the family to choose and lease affordable, privately owned rental housing. Eligible families are issued a “voucher” that demonstrates that the family is eligible for rental assistance. A family’s rent is limited to 30-40% of their adjusted monthly income and a subsidy covers the remaining portion of the rent.

RUPCO is the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV)/Section 8 Program’s local administrator in Ulster and Greene Counties, managing over 2,000 vouchers in our offices in Catskill and Kingston.

You may only apply for Section 8 when the waitlist is open.

The Ulster County Section 8 Waitlist is CLOSED

The Greene County Section 8 Waitlist is OPEN

The Birches at Chambers (Senior Housing in Kingston) Section 8 Waitlist is OPEN

Family standing in front of house

Online Brochure

Process

Program applicants will be notified by mail when their name reaches the top of the waitlist. RUPCO will review the list and assign a priority to households with very low-incomes and those whose head of household is elderly and/or disabled. Please see below for eligibility requirements for Ulster and Greene Counties:

For more on Ulster County Area Median Income (AMI), visit Affordable Housing Online and NYS Homes & Community Renewal.

For more on Greene County Area Median Income (AMI), visit Affordable Housing Online and NYS Homes & Community Renewal.

Payment Standards

Ulster County: 2022 – 2023

Studio1 Bedroom2 Bedrooms3 Bedrooms4 Bedrooms
$1,306$1,386$1,797$2,353$2,622


Greene County: 2022 –  2023 

Studio1 Bedroom2 Bedrooms3 Bedrooms4 Bedrooms
$1,059$1,117$1,347$1,688$1,810

Family Obligations for Program Participants

You and your entire household MUST fulfill your obligations to the RUPCO Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program for you to receive and continue receiving Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance. If you fail to fulfill your obligations, your rental assistance may be terminated.

To meet your family obligations, you MUST:

  • Complete an annual determination of eligibility
  • Provide RUPCO with all requested information needed to determine eligibility including evidence of citizenship or eligible immigration status, verification of social security numbers, and consent forms for obtaining necessary information
  • Provide information that is true and complete
  • Notify RUPCO in writing of all changes in income or assets within two (2) weeks of the change
  • Report to RUPCO in writing all changes in Household Composition within two (2) weeks of the change
          • Request in writing and receive written approval from RUPCO before any other person moves into your household
          • Notify RUPCO in writing within two (2) weeks if any family member no longer lives in the unit
          • Notify RUPCO in writing if any household member will be away from the unit for an extended time
          • Request permission for absences that will be longer than 30 days
  • Allow RUPCO to inspect the unit at reasonable times and after reasonable notice [Any unit participating in the HCV program MUST always meet Housing Quality Standards]
  • Only reside in the assisted unit
  • Immediately provide RUPCO with copies of all court orders and/or owner eviction notices received
  • Pay your utility bills and supply appliances that you are required to supply under the lease and HAP contract
  • Pay your share of the rent in a timely manner and pay only the rent specified by RUPCO. Your portion of the rent is calculated by RUPCO and is stated in your Rent Adjustment Letter

HCV Program Participants or household members must NOT:

  • Commit fraud, bribery, or any other corrupt or criminal act in connection with the HCV program.
  • Participate in illegal drug or violent criminal activity, or any other criminal activity.
  • Sublease, sublet, assign the lease, or transfer the unit to any other party.
  • Receive HCV assistance while receiving another housing subsidy, for the same unit or a different unit under any other Federal, State, or local housing assistance program.
  • Abuse drugs or alcohol in any way that threatens the health, safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of other tenants in the immediate vicinity of the premises.

If you believe a program participant or household member(s) is in violation of the HCV Program due to one of the violations listed above, please do not hesitate to email reporthcvfraud@rupco.org

Portability

RUPCO will allow applicants who resided in Ulster or Greene County at the time they applied to the waiting list, to transfer their voucher immediately to another county or state. If an applicant was not a current resident of Ulster or Greene county at the time they applied, they must utilize their voucher in Ulster or Greene for twelve consecutive months before being eligible to transfer to another county of state. There are no reasonable accommodations or exceptions to the one year residency requirement.

 If you are a current voucher holder in another county and would like to move into the RUPCO Housing Choice Voucher Program you must provide your current Public Housing Authority with RUPCO’s contact information. The Public Housing Authority will send a copy of your information to RUPCO for review. Upon receipt, RUPCO will schedule your family for a briefing that must be attended by all household members ages 18 and older to ensure compliance with RUPCO’s HCV Program.

Please provide your current housing authority with our contact information as follows:

ULSTER COUNTYGREENE COUNTY
Amanda LaChanceMarie Pickel
289 Fair Street Kingston, NY 12401 175 Water Street Catskill, NY 12414
Phone: 845-331-2140 Ext. 244Phone: 518-943-5170 ext. 251
Fax: 845-331-6217 Fax: 518-943-4342
Email: alachance@rupco.org Email: mpickel@rupco.org

Moves

If you wish to move out of your approved unit, you MUST:

      • Provide RUPCO a copy of the Notice to Vacate Form completed by you and the Landlord
      • Ensure that all rental payments to the landlord are up-to-date and re-payment agreement monies owed to RUPCO are paid in full
      • Ensure that all tenant-related damages to the unit are repaired before you move

You CANNOT move into a new unit until RUPCO approves it. RUPCO will inspect to ensure all HUD Housing Quality Standards are met. RUPCO will also ensure that the rent is reasonable and affordable, and the owner is eligible to participate in the HCV program.

You are responsible if the housing unit fails the Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection for any of the following reasons:

      • You fail to pay for any utilities that your family is responsible for as required in the lease
      • You fail to provide and maintain any appliances that the family provides under the lease
      • Any member of the household or guest damages the dwelling unit or premises beyond normal wear and tear

You and any member of your household MUST NOT:

      • Own or have any interest in the unit
      • Commit fraud, bribery, or any other corrupt or criminal act in connection with the HCV program
      • Participate in illegal drug or violent criminal activity or any other criminal activity
      • Sublease, sublet, assign the lease or transfer the unit to any other party
      • Commit any serious or repeated violation of the lease
      • Receive HCV assistance while receiving another housing subsidy for the same unit or a different unit under any other Federal, State, or local housing assistance program
      • Abuse drugs or alcohol in any way that threatens the health, safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of other tenants in the immediate vicinity of the premises

Grounds for Denial or Termination of Program Assistance

RUPCO may at any time deny program assistance for an applicant or terminate program assistance for a program participant for one of the following:

      • If the family violates any family obligation under the HCV program
      • If any member of the family is subject to lifetime registration under a state sex offender registration program
      • If any member of the family has ever been evicted from public housing
      • If any agency has ever terminated assistance for cause under the voucher program for any member of the family
      • If the family currently owes rent or other amounts to RUPCO or to another agency in connection with the HCV Program or public housing assistance under the Housing Act of 1937
      • If the family has not reimbursed any agency for amounts paid to an owner under a HAP contract for rent, damages to the unit, or other amounts owed by the family under the lease
      • If the family breaches an agreement with RUPCO to pay amounts owed to this office, or amounts paid to an owner by this office
      • If the family has engaged in or threatened abusive or violent behavior toward RUPCO personnel
      • If the family is guilty of abuse or fraud (fraud is a criminal offense)
      • If the family refuses to supply any requested certification, release of information or documentation which RUPCO or HUD determines to be necessary for the administration of the program
      • If the family vacates the dwelling unit without proper notice to RUPCO
      • If the family does not use the dwelling as its principal place of residence
      • If the family engages in drug-related activity or violent criminal activity, including criminal activity by any family member

Other Aspects of Section 8

Interested in becoming a Section 8 Landlord?

Are you a Section 8 recipient interested in joining the Family Self Sufficiency Program?

Forms

Ulster County

Greene County

Other