On March 14, 2011, the City of New York stopped any new lease signings under Advantage NY for shelter residents residing in both HRA Domestic Violence Shelters and DHS Homeless Shelters. The City also informed current Advantage tenants that it will stop making rent payments for their apartments as of April 1, 2011. The reason given for these actions is that New York State has withdrawn its contribution to the Advantage rent subsidy program.
Tenants living in Advantage apartments are advised that Legal Aid believes these terminations are unlawful and therefore filed a lawsuit on behalf of tenants whose benefits were terminated. As a result of this filing, the City was ordered to pay Advantage rents for current Advantage tenants for the month of April pending a hearing later this month. This order covers only those Advantage tenants who are still within their lease period. It is unknown whether or not the City will be ordered to pay any further Advantage rent beyond April. Tenants receiving termination notices can file a fair hearing requesting “aid to continue” if they have not already done so. Tenants can refer to Legal Aid’s flyers for additional information in English and Spanish.
In the meantime, tenants should continue to pay their portion of the rent directly to the landlord and continue to pursue their work and education goals according to the original design of the program.
In the event that the lawsuit is successful and assistance continues for current tenants, HousingLink has chosen to leave general Advantage program information on this website below. However, as of March 14, 2011, the Advantage NY program is no longer available to new tenants and could still be terminated for existing tenants depending on the outcome of the lawsuit. Updates on the status of Advantage NY will be posted on the homepage of New Destiny’s website.
Advantage NY is designed to provide short-term rental assistance to shelter residents while encouraging self sufficiency. Advantage NY does not require program participants to maintain active PA cases after securing an apartment and emphasizes the importance of employment. Please note that in the structure of the Advantage Programs have changed. Shelter residents who were certified for the program prior to 7/15/10 and signed leases prior to 9/30/10 will be using the old version of the program at least for the first year of their program participation. For information on the old version of the Advantage Programs, please click here.
Work Advantage: for those who work at least 20 hours per week with an income below 200% of the federal poverty level and engage in an additional 15 hours of HRA approved work or educational activities for a total of 35 hours of engagement per week. Must have an active public assistance case (either cash assistance or single issuance)
Fixed Income Advantage: for those households where all adults in the home receive SSI/SSD or some other federally recognized disability benefit or are deemed "needed at home" by HRA. The Work Advantage Program is a New York City program that provides rental support for one to two years to help domestic violence and homeless shelter residents who are working part-time obtain permanent housing. Participants are required to pay 30% of their income towards rent for the first year. To qualify for a second year of assistance, participants must be working 35 hours per week. In the second year, the tenant share of the rent increases to 40% of the family income. After the second year, the program ends and cannot be extended. Participants will assume full responsibility for their after the program ends.
Work Advantage pays the first month's rent in full up front at the lease signing, as well as a security deposit and brokers' fees (up to 15% of the annual rent). Work Advantage will also pay the City share of the following two months' rent up front.
Key Program Points
Subsidy Rent Levels
Eligibility Requirements
Application Process
Finding an Apartment
- Applicants must be families living in a HRA domestic violence shelter for 42 days or more or a DHS homeless shelter for 60 days or more to receive Fixed Income Advantage
- Applicants must be working at least 20 hours per week and be engaged in an additional 15 hours per week of HRA approved work related activities for a total of 35 hours of engagement. Applicants must maintain employment for at least 30 days and have their earnings budgeted into their public assistance cases in order to be Work Advantage eligible.
- Applicants must either have an active cash assistance case or single issuance PA case. The case must be sanction free for at least 30 days to qualify for the program.
- Work Advantage participants are required to contribute 30% of their gross income per month towards the total rental cost directly to the landlord monthly. If the program is extended for a second year, the household contribution will increase to 40% of monthly gross household income.
- To qualify for a second year of assistance, households must have been working for 10 out of the preceding 12 months and be working 35 hours per week by re-certification. Their earnings must be below 200% of the federal poverty level to receive assistance for the second year.
- Work Advantage tenants cannot rent an apartment that is higher than the Work Advantage rent amounts.
- The Human Resources Administration (HRA) administers the Work Advantage program for domestic violence shelter residents. The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) administers the Work Advantage program for homeless shelter residents.
Click here for a chart providing information about the subsidy level households can expect based on their family size.
- Work: Applicants must be working at least 20 hours per week earning minimum wage or more. The employment must be "on the books" and applicants must be legally allowed to work in the United States. Applicants must have held their job for at least 30 days and have their incomes budgeted into their public assistance cases to be eligible.
- Income Limits: The residents' income cannot exceed 200% of the Federal Poverty Level to qualify. For Federal Poverty Level guidelines click here.
- Public Assistance: Shelter residents must qualify for either cash benefits or a single issuance public assistance case. The case must be sanction free for at least 30 days to qualify.
- Shelter Residency: To be eligible for Work Advantage, domestic violence shelter residents must have been residing in shelter for 42 days or more DHS homeless shelter residents must be living in shelter for 60 days or more.
Eligible domestic violence shelter residents are automatically sent notification letters from HRA after their 42nd day in shelter if they have public assistance cases advising them that they can qualify for the program if they secure employment. Such letters can be shown landlords as they begin their apartment search and continue to search for employment. Once at least 20 hours of work is budgeted into the public assistance case, shelter staff will work with HRA to get a certification letter mailed to the resident. The letter will show the maximum rental amount allowed and the tenant share of the rent (30% of the family income) so tenants and landlords are aware of what the City and tenant will pay per month.
Once a Work Advantage applicant has found an apartment, their shelter advocate submits a Work Advantage apartment application and related forms to HRA along with proof of employment for approval. In order for the rental to be approved, the apartment must pass inspection. Shelter residents can use HUD's list of move-in conditions to help ensure they choose an apartment that will be approved.
Domestic violence shelter residents cannot rent an apartment in certain excluded zip codes depending on where their domestic violence incidents occurred. For help finding an apartment, visit our Finding Housing section.
The Fixed Income Advantage Program is a New York City program that provides rental support to help domestic violence and homeless shelter residents who are disabled and cannot work to obtain permanent housing.
Fixed Income Advantage pays three months' rent to the landlord at the lease signing, as well as a security deposit and any brokers' fees up to the equivalent of 15% of the annual rent.
Key Program Points
Subsidy Rent Levels
Eligibility Requirements
Application Process
Finding an Apartment
- Applicants must be families living in a HRA domestic violence shelter for 42 days or more or a DHS homeless shelter for 60 days or more to receive Fixed Income Advantage
- All adults in the household must be receiving SSI/SSD or be deemed "needed at home" by HRA to qualify
- Fixed Income Advantage tenants will have to contribute 30% of their income towards the rent in the first year and 40% in the second. There are no extensions beyond two years.
- Fixed Income Advantage tenants cannot rent an apartment that is higher than the FIX rent amounts.
- The Human Resources Administration (HRA) administers the Fixed Income Advantage program for domestic violence shelter residents. The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) administers the program for homeless shelter residents.
Click here for a chart providing information about the subsidy level households can expect based on their family size.
- SSI or SSD Benefits: To qualify for Fixed Income Advantage all adults in the household must receive SSI or SSD benefits; other non-SSI/SSD household members must be on public assistance to qualify. If the adults in the home are not the disabled household member but HRA deems them to be needed at home to care for the disabled household member, such families will be eligible for the program.
- Shelter Residency: To be eligible for Fixed Income Advantage Program domestic violence shelter residents must have been residing in shelter for 42 days or more. DHS Homeless shelter residents must be in shelter for 60 days or more to qualify.
Eligible domestic violence shelter residents are automatically sent letters of certification from HRA after their 42nd day in shelter.
Once a Fixed Income Advantage applicant has found an apartment, her shelter advocate submits a Fixed Income Advantage apartment application and related paperwork to HRA. If the apartment passes inspection a lease signing will be arranged. Shelter residents can use HUD's list of move-in conditions to help ensure they choose an apartment that will be approved.
Domestic violence shelter residents cannot rent an apartment in certain excluded zip codes depending on where their domestic violence incidents occurred. For help finding an apartment, visit our Finding Housing section.
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