Second Chance Apartments in New York, NY
Last updated:
New York, NY Housing at a Glance
2,739
Affordable Properties
0
Oxford Houses
$2,910
FMR 2BR Rent
22
Counseling Agencies
Finding Second Chance Housing in New York
Finding an apartment with a criminal record in New York can be challenging, but it is far from impossible. The New York metro area has 2,739 affordable housing properties, including 2,247 LIHTC (tax credit) properties and 492 Section 8 properties. Many of these evaluate applicants individually rather than using blanket criminal record bans.
Your best strategy is to call properties directly before submitting an application. Ask the property manager about their screening criteria for criminal history. This saves you both time and non-refundable application fees. Private landlords and smaller complexes tend to be more flexible than large corporate management companies.
If you need help navigating the process, New York has 22 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies that provide free assistance with finding housing, understanding your rights, and improving your rental application. These counselors know which local properties are most open to second chance tenants.
Largest Affordable Housing Properties in New York
These are the largest subsidized properties by unit count. Contact them directly to ask about availability and screening policies.
| Property | Address | Type | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Hill | 2140 Seward Avenue, Bronx, NY 10473 | LIHTC | 2,025 |
| Marlboro Houses | 29 Avenue W, Brooklyn, NY 11223 | LIHTC | 1,765 |
| Marble Hill | 5210 Broadway, Bronx, NY 10463 | LIHTC | 1,682 |
| River Park Towers | 10 Richman Plz, Bronx, NY 10453 | LIHTC | 1,654 |
| Bayview Houses | 2045 Rockaway Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11236 | LIHTC | 1,610 |
| Linda Plaza Apts | 780 Eldert Ln, Brooklyn, NY 11208 | LIHTC | 1,527 |
| Linden Plaza Preservation | 675 Lincoln Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11208 | LIHTC | 1,527 |
| Ocean Bay Apartments | 434 Beach 54th Street, Queens, NY 11692 | LIHTC | 1,395 |
| Manhattanville | 545 West 126th Street, New York, NY 10027 | LIHTC | 1,272 |
| Gotham West | 550 West 45 St, New York, NY 10036 | LIHTC | 1,238 |
Federal Halfway Houses (Residential Reentry Centers)
BOP-contracted facilities that provide transitional housing for individuals completing federal sentences.
- Brooklyn House, RRC — Brooklyn, NY · 269-383-0450
- GEO Reentry, Inc. — Bronx, NY · 561-999-7548
HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agencies
Free or low-cost housing counseling. These agencies can help you find housing, understand your rights, and navigate applications.
THE BRONX NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES CDC, INC.
1451 East Gun Hill Road 2nd fl, BRONX, NY
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Default/Foreclosure Workshop, Home Improvement/Rehabilitation Counseling, Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase Workshop, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop
STRYCKER'S BAY NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL, INC.
696 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY
Services: Financial/Budget Counseling, Rental Housing Counseling
PRATT AREA COMMUNITY COUNCIL
1000 Dean St Ste 420, Brooklyn, NY
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Default/Foreclosure Workshop, Financial/Budget Counseling, Financial/Budget Workshop, Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase Workshop, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop
NORTHFIELD COMMUNITY LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF STATEN ISLAND, INC.
160 Heberton Ave, Staten Island, NY
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Home Improvement/Rehabilitation Counseling, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Rental Housing Counseling
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS, INC.
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Default/Foreclosure Workshop, Financial/Budget Counseling, Financial/Budget Workshop, Fair Housing Workshop, Home Improvement/Rehabilitation Counseling, Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase Workshop, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop
NEIGHBORHOODS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE fka NHS of Staten Island
260 Christopher Ln, Staten Island, NY
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Default/Foreclosure Workshop, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF NEW YORK CITY BRONX BRANCH
2475 Westchester Avenue, BRONX, NY
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF NEW YORK CITY (NHS OF NYC)
306 W 37th St Fl 11, New York, NY
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Financial/Budget Counseling, Financial/Budget Workshop, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF JAMAICA
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Default/Foreclosure Workshop, Financial/Budget Counseling, Financial/Budget Workshop, Home Improvement/Rehabilitation Counseling, Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase Workshop, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop, Rental Housing Counseling, Rental Housing Workshop
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF BROOKLYN CDC, INC.
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Default/Foreclosure Workshop, Financial/Budget Counseling, Financial/Budget Workshop, Home Improvement/Rehabilitation Counseling, Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase Workshop, Predatory Lending Workshop, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop, Rental Housing Counseling, Rental Housing Workshop
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF BROOKLYN (BEDFORD-STUYVESANT) CDC, INC. (D.B.A. BROOKLYN NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES)
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Default/Foreclosure Workshop, Financial/Budget Counseling, Financial/Budget Workshop, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop
MHANY MANAGEMENT, INC., A MUTUAL HOUSING ORGANIZATION
470 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Default/Foreclosure Workshop, Financial/Budget Counseling, Financial/Budget Workshop, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop
HOUSING PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CORP.
Services: Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop
HOUSING AND FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER NEW YORK, INC.
415 Albemarle Rd, Brooklyn, NY
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Default/Foreclosure Workshop, Financial/Budget Counseling, Financial/Budget Workshop, Fair Housing Workshop, Home Improvement/Rehabilitation Counseling, Homeless Counseling, Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase Workshop, Predatory Lending Workshop, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop, Rental Housing Counseling, Rental Housing Workshop
HARLEM CONGREGATIONS FOR COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Default/Foreclosure Workshop, Financial/Budget Counseling, Financial/Budget Workshop, Fair Housing Workshop, Home Improvement/Rehabilitation Counseling, Homeless Counseling, Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase Workshop, Predatory Lending Workshop, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop, Rental Housing Counseling, Rental Housing Workshop
HARLEM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
163 West 125th Street, 17th floor, NEW YORK, NY
Services: Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop
GREENPATH FINANCIAL WELLNESS
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Financial/Budget Counseling, Homeless Counseling, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Rental Housing Counseling
CYPRESS HILLS LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION CHLDC
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Default/Foreclosure Workshop, Financial/Budget Counseling, Financial/Budget Workshop, Home Improvement/Rehabilitation Counseling, Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase Workshop, Rental Housing Counseling, Rental Housing Workshop
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION OF SOUTHERN BROOKLYN
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Pre-Purchase Counseling
BROOKLYN NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION
Services: Default/Foreclosure Counseling, Default/Foreclosure Workshop, Rental Housing Counseling, Rental Housing Workshop
ASIAN AMERICANS FOR EQUALITY
Services: Financial/Budget Workshop, Fair Housing Workshop, Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase Workshop, Predatory Lending Workshop, Pre-Purchase Counseling, Pre-Purchase Workshop
Fair Market Rent — New York Metro Area
HUD sets Fair Market Rents (FMR) annually to determine Section 8 voucher amounts. The 2-bedroom FMR in New York is:
$2,910/month (2BR)
With subsidized housing (LIHTC or Section 8), you typically pay 30% of your adjusted gross income — often significantly less than market rate.
Tips for Finding Housing with a Record
- 1.Call properties directly before applying. Ask the manager about their screening policy for criminal records — this saves you time and application fees.
- 2.Try private landlords and smaller complexes first. Individual owners are often more flexible than corporate property management companies.
- 3.Prepare a "rental resume" with references from employers, parole/probation officers, past landlords, or community organizations that can vouch for you.
- 4.Offer a larger security deposit or several months of rent upfront if you can. This reduces the landlord's perceived risk.
- 5.Look into LIHTC (Low-Income Housing Tax Credit) properties — they have income requirements but many are more lenient on background checks than market-rate apartments.
- 6.Contact HUD-approved housing counseling agencies for free help navigating the process. They know which local properties work with people who have records.
- 7.Be honest about your history. If a landlord discovers you lied on an application, that is usually grounds for immediate lease termination.
- 8.Check if your conviction can be expunged or sealed. A clean record makes the housing search much easier. Visit our expungement guide for your state.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I find second chance apartments in New York?
- Start by contacting LIHTC and Section 8 properties directly — New York has 2739 affordable housing properties. Many accept tenants with criminal records on a case-by-case basis. Call the property manager, explain your situation honestly, and ask about their screening criteria. Private landlords and smaller complexes tend to be more flexible than large corporate-managed properties.
- Will a felony disqualify me from renting in New York?
- Not necessarily. Many landlords in New York do individual assessments rather than blanket rejections. The type of conviction, how long ago it occurred, and evidence of rehabilitation all matter. New York may have fair housing protections that limit how landlords can use criminal records in screening. Always ask about the specific policy before paying an application fee.
- What is the average rent in New York?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in the New York metro area is $2,910/month. Subsidized housing through LIHTC or Section 8 programs typically costs 30% of your adjusted gross income, which can be significantly less than market rate.
- Are there sober living homes in New York?
- While there are no Oxford Houses currently listed in New York, there are other sober living options. Contact local recovery organizations, the New York substance abuse helpline, or SAMHSA's national helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for referrals to sober living homes in your area.
- What are HUD housing counseling agencies?
- HUD-approved housing counseling agencies provide free or low-cost advice on renting, buying, default/foreclosure prevention, and credit repair. New York has 22 HUD-approved counseling agencies. They can help you understand your rights, navigate the application process, and find housing that works for your situation — including if you have a criminal record.
- Can I get Section 8 housing with a criminal record in New York?
- Most criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify you from Section 8 housing. The main disqualifications are: lifetime sex offender registration and methamphetamine production convictions. Individual housing authorities have discretion on other offenses. Apply directly to the New York Housing Authority and be honest about your history. Wait times can be long, so apply as soon as possible.
Related Resources on This Site
More for your state
- HousingSecond chance apartments in Buffalo, NY
- ExpungementNew York expungement guide
- Voting RightsFelon voting rights in New York
- Gun RightsFelon gun rights in New York
- DUI RecoveryDUI license recovery in New York
- ProbationProbation & parole in New York
Helpful guides
- Background ChecksWhat shows up on a background check?
- Background ChecksHow far back do background checks go?
- Background ChecksTypes of background checks
- Background ChecksHow to check your own record