Housing Authority in Cohoes, New York

Contact Details

We found 1 housing authority office in Cohoes, New York. Benefits Explorer is not a housing authority and doesn't take applications, so contact the agency directly to apply or ask about its waiting list. Details can change, so please confirm them with the agency.

What is Public Housing?

Public housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. HUD reports that approximately 970,000 households live in public housing units, managed by about 3,300 housing agencies.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides financial help to local housing agencies that manage the housing for low-income residents at rents they can afford.

Who is Eligible?

A housing authority serving Cohoes is responsible for ensuring that every individual and family admitted to the program meets all program eligibility requirements.

The agency determines your eligibility based on:

• 1) Annual gross income
• 2) Whether you qualify as elderly, a person with a disability, or as a family; and
• 3) U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status

If you are eligible, the agency will check your references to make sure you and your family will be good tenants. HUD says housing agencies will deny admission to any applicant whose habits and practices may be expected to have a detrimental effect on other tenants or on the project's environment.

How to Apply for Public Housing in Cohoes

To apply for public housing, contact your local PHA. The application must be written, and either you or a PHA representative will fill it out. You will typically need the following information:

• 1) Your current address and phone number
• 2) Contact information for your current and past landlords, so the PHA can ask about your family's suitability as a tenant
• 3) An estimated family income for the next twelve months
• 4) Source of your income
• 5) Your current and past employers' information, to verify your income and deductions
• 6) Bank account statements
• 7) The name and relationship of everyone who would be living in the unit
• 8) Family characteristics (e.g. veteran)
• 9) Family circumstances (e.g. living in substandard housing) that could qualify you for a preference
• 10) Provide social security number information for household members as required

For public housing, the PHA also may visit you in your home to interview you and your family members and to see how you maintain your current home.

You may also be asked to consent to the agency’s collection and use of family information, as described in its consent forms.

Public Housing Income Limits in Cohoes

To be eligible for public housing in Cohoes, your household must meet income limits based on your household size and your county or metro area. HUD updates them each year, so there is no single national amount.

• Low income: 80% of area median income. Most public housing applicants must be at or below this limit.
• Very low income: 50% of area median income.
• Extremely low income: generally the greater of 30% of area median income or the federal poverty level. At least 40% of the families admitted to public housing each year must be in this group.

Find the current limits for your area on HUD's income limits page, or ask a housing authority serving Cohoes.

Steps to find Public Housing

• 1) Contact your local housing agency and ask whether it is accepting public housing applications.
• 2) Submit a written application. Either you or an agency representative will fill it out.
• 3) The agency will check your references and verify your income and household information.
• 4) The agency must notify you in writing. If you are eligible, your name goes on a waiting list unless the agency can help you right away.
• 5) If you are found ineligible, the agency must say why, and you can request an informal hearing.
• 6) When your name is reached on the waiting list, the agency will contact you.
• 7) If you are offered a house or apartment and accept it, you will sign a lease with the agency and may need to pay a security deposit.

Public housing is different from Section 8 apartments or houses, which are privately owned. If you are also looking for those, you can search for homes that fit your housing needs.

Please contact your manager as soon as possible when your income or family size changes, because it may affect the rent you pay or any subsidy you receive.

If you move into public housing in Cohoes, these steps help you keep your home in good standing:

• Pay your full monthly rent on time
• Don't let your monthly maintenance charges and other fees accumulate. Pay them regularly
• Call the PHA when repairs are needed
• Please keep your home clean and in good condition
• Keep your backyard, porch and patio clean
• Respect your neighbors' privacy and maintain peace and quiet

Housing Authority Waiting Lists in Cohoes

Housing authorities are public agencies that provide subsidized housing to low-income individuals and families. They can run several distinct housing programs, and each agency sets when its waiting lists open and close. Benefits Explorer doesn't track which lists are open.

Wait times vary widely. In high-demand areas, a waiting list can be several years long, and some agencies close their lists when they are full. Ask a housing authority serving Cohoes whether its list is open and keep your contact details up to date. To find agencies, use HUD's directory of local public housing agencies.