How to transfer out of New York City when you have CItyFHEPS

Under the Statewide CityFHEPS expansion, you absolutely can use your voucher to relocate out of New York City to Long Island, meaning Nassau or Suffolk County.

The process looks slightly different depending on whether you are looking for a completely new apartment with a Shopping Letter or trying to transfer an existing tenancy.

1. Check Your Transfer Eligibility

To move to Long Island with your voucher, you must fall into one of two categories:

* You have an active, unexpired Shopping Letter: If you are currently in a DHS/HRA shelter or have a community shopping letter to find new housing, you are automatically eligible to look for apartments anywhere in New York State.

* You need a Good Cause Transfer: If you are already living in a CityFHEPS-subsidized apartment in NYC and want to move mid-lease, you cannot just pack up. You must request a formal Good Cause Transfer from HRA. Valid reasons typically include severe health and safety risks, extreme medical needs, or a significant change in household size.

2. Navigating the Long Island Search Process

If you have an approved shopping letter or transfer voucher, the search rules shift once you look outside the five boroughs:

* Entire Apartments Only: You can only use CityFHEPS for entire apartments on Long Island. Room rentals or Single Room Occupancy arrangements through CityFHEPS are strictly limited to NYC's five boroughs.

* Adjusted Rent Payment Standards: Long Island rent limits are not the same as NYC's. CityFHEPS rents outside the city are indexed to the Local Fair Market Rent for Nassau and Suffolk counties. You must check the current statewide rent supplement charts on the DSS/HRA documents portal to know your exact maximum allowance.

* Physical Apartment Inspections: Unlike counties further upstate that accept virtual walkthroughs, Nassau and Suffolk counties require a physical, in-person apartment review. A HRA inspector or designated provider staff member must complete a full physical walkthrough checklist before the unit can be approved.

3. Step-by-Step Relocation Steps

1. Secure Transfer Approval or Check Shopping Letter Validity

Prerequisite

If you are currently housed, submit a Modification / Transfer Request form through your local Homebase provider or HRA case manager. Ensure your voucher/Shopping Letter is completely active before viewing units.

2. Calculate Long Island Payment Standards

Search Prep

Go to the NYC DSS/HRA CityFHEPS documents website and download the Statewide Rent Schedule. Verify the maximum allowable rent (minus utility allowances) for Nassau or Suffolk county based on your approved bedroom size.

3. Locate a Landlord and Submit the Packet

Application

Find an apartment on Long Island. Provide the landlord or broker with your Shopping Letter. Have the landlord fill out the Landlord Landlord/Broker Package. Return these completed documents to your HRA case manager or Homebase worker immediately.

4. Coordinate the Physical In-Person Inspection

Inspection

HRA or a partner agency will schedule an in-person walkthrough of the Long Island apartment. The unit must pass this physical safety and quality check before a lease can be finalized.

5. Coordinate with the Local Department of Social Services

Post-Move Continuation

Once approved and the lease is signed, HRA pays the landlord. However, because you are moving out of NYC, you must apply with the local county DSS office (Nassau or Suffolk County DSS) to transition any associated ongoing benefits, like Cash Assistance or SNAP.

> Important Resource: If you transition to Long Island and face issues with your landlord, rental payments, or potential displacement, NYC maintains an active Out-of-City Hotline at 718-557-1399 specifically to handle aftercare resources for statewide CityFHEPS tenants.

If you just got your voucher and you wanna live on Long Island, here’s what you do.

Since you have already been approved for your voucher and have an active Shopping Letter, you are in a great position. You do not need to wait or find an apartment inside New York City first. You can take that approved voucher and immediately apply it to the apartment you found on Long Island.

Here is exactly how to execute the transfer to that Long Island apartment step-by-step:

1. Confirm the Rent and Apartment Match the Rules

Before you submit any paperwork, you must make sure the apartment fits the Statewide CityFHEPS requirements:

* It must be an entire apartment: You cannot use CityFHEPS for room rentals or shared housing outside of the five boroughs.

* Check the Long Island payment standards: Rent limits for Nassau and Suffolk counties are completely different than NYC. Look up the Statewide Rent Schedule on the HRA documents portal to ensure the monthly rent of the place you found falls within the approved limit for your bedroom size.

2. Give the Landlord the Right Out-of-City Packet

Because the apartment is on Long Island, the landlord needs to fill out the standard apartment leasing paperwork, but you must also include a specific utility form for outside the city.

Provide your prospective landlord or broker with these two official PDF documents:

* CityFHEPS Landlord Package for Apartments (Form DSS-8f)

* CityFHEPS Landlord Utility Information Form Outside of New York City (Form DSS-8y)

The landlord will need to provide proof of ownership (like a deed), a completed W-9 form, and a signed lease or rental agreement for at least one year.

3. Submit the Package for the Long Island Unit

Once the landlord completes and signs their portion, gather the documents along with a copy of your approved Shopping Letter. Submit the entire package directly to your current HRA caseworker, your shelter housing specialist, or your local Homebase worker.

If you are handling the submission independently, you can upload the completed forms directly through the ACCESS HRA mobile app or email them to the processing unit at CityFHEPSRenewals@hra.nyc.gov.

4. Complete the Mandatory In-Person Inspection

Once HRA reviews the paperwork and confirms the rent amount is correct for Long Island, they will schedule a physical inspection.

While some upstate counties allow virtual walkthroughs, Nassau and Suffolk counties strictly require an HRA inspector or a designated partner agency worker to physically walk through the apartment. The unit must pass this safety and habitability checklist before HRA will issue the checks.

5. Finalize and Coordinate Your Move

After the apartment passes inspection, HRA will approve the case and generate the initial checks. This typically includes the first month's rent and up to three months of upfront subsidy payments for the landlord, plus any approved broker fees.

Your caseworker will notify you when the checks are ready so you can coordinate your move-in date, pick up your keys, and sign the final lease.

Reminder:

As soon as you officially move to Long Island, make sure to visit the local Nassau County or Suffolk County Department of Social Services (DSS) office. You will need to file a case transfer or open a new local case to ensure your ongoing SNAP (food stamps) or Cash Assistance benefits transition to your new county smoothly.

Official CityFHEPS Document Packs

The Main Document Hub: You can view, search, and access the entire updated list of printable materials on the official NYC HRA CityFHEPS Documents Page (https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/cityfheps-documents.page).

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