NYC Section 8 housing voucher applications close: What's next?

NEW YORK (PIX11) – The window to apply to the New York City Section 8 Housing Voucher program closed on Sunday.

Families in the program pay a reasonable share of their income toward rent, and the program covers the rest, according to NYCHA.

It was the first time since 2009 that NYCHA allowed people to submit an application to be put on the Section 8 waitlist. NYCHA started accepting applications last Monday, and more than 400,000 people applied by Wednesday.

So what happens now that applications are closed?

NYCHA will randomly place 200,000 applicants on the waitlist. Those who are selected will then be interviewed to ensure they qualify.

Any member of the public could apply for the program, and it wasn't limited to New York City residents. Other qualifications for the program include being a U.S. citizen or a noncitizen with eligible immigration status, being at least 18 years old, and having a household gross income of 50% or below the area median income.

The income limit to qualify for Section 8 housing for a family of one is $54,350. For a family of two, the income limit is $62,150.

You can check your application status using NYCHA's self-service portal. NYCHA anticipates the waitlist will be finalized by Aug. 1.

If you don't get on the waitlist, you will be notified and given a chance to appeal, according to NYCHA.