Comment on NYCHA’s Admissions & Continued Occupancy Policy
Please be informed that NYCHA opened a public comment period on September 13, 2023, to propose our Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP). An ACOP is a public document used by many public housing authorities to describe their policies related to admissions and continued occupancy. These policies are governed mainly by federal requirements and, where applicable, State and local laws. An ACOP explains how public housing programs are administered and helps ensure fairness, consistency, and transparency.
Key Proposed Changes in NYCHA’s ACOP
NYCHA’s ACOP will combine a set of NYCHA’s existing policy documents, including the NYCHA Management Manual (which informs how employees manage the public housing program), the Applications and Tenancy Administration Department Manual (which informs the oversight of the waitlist and admissions, transfers, and vacancies), the Tenant Selection and Assignment Plan, and other policies. These policies apply to public housing applicants, residents, and NYCHA as an organization. In addition to outlining these existing policies, the proposed ACOP will include the following two key policy changes.
Household Additions
NYCHA is proposing updates to its policy regarding household additions, including a proposal to eliminate the requirement that permanent household additions meet specific family relationships. However, with certain exceptions, NYCHA will only consider permanent household addition requests from tenants who are in good standing, are current with their annual recertifications, and don’t owe rent. See Chapter 6 of the draft ACOP for more information.
Federal Regulations on Income Reviews and Asset Limits
Federal regulations from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which will take effect on January 1, 2024, change requirements related to income reviews for public housing and Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) programs and set limits on household assets. See Chapter 8 of the draft ACOP for more information.
Comment Period
The draft ACOP document was released for a 45-day public comment period on September 13, 2023. The draft ACOP is available online at on.nyc.gov/acop, and a paper copy is available at property management offices. Resident associations are also receiving paper copies.
You can email comments about the draft ACOP to lease.changes@nycha.nyc.gov or mail them to the following address:
NYCHA – Lease Clause Changes
P.O. Box 3422
New York, NY 10008
Comments must be postmarked by October 28, 2023, to be considered.
Next Steps
NYCHA will review and consider all feedback before determining what, if any, changes to the proposed ACOP should be implemented. The final ACOP is set to be released on or about January 1, 2024. As with the draft, the final ACOP will be available on NYCHA’s website and at property management offices. Translations of the final ACOP will be available in English as well as Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Russian. Once finalized, any new proposed changes to the ACOP will go through a public notice and comment process.
As always, we appreciate your feedback and your partnership as we strive to strengthen NYCHA communities.