The SOTA program in NYC — Special One-Time Assistance — pays up to one year of rent, plus a security deposit and a broker’s fee, for eligible households living in a Department of Homeless Services shelter who are ready to move into permanent housing. It is administered by the Human Resources Administration and can fund a move within the five boroughs, to a nearby county, or to another state.1NYC Human Resources Administration. Special One-Time Assistance You apply through your shelter caseworker, and you can only receive the benefit once.2The Rules of the City of New York. NYC Rules Title 31 RCNY 5-03 – Eligibility and Payments
Who Qualifies
Eligibility starts with a qualifying shelter stay. Families in DHS family shelters need at least 90 days of residence, with gaps of up to ten calendar days permitted. Single adults in DHS single adult shelters need at least 90 days of shelter residence within the past 365 days, and those days do not have to be consecutive.2The Rules of the City of New York. NYC Rules Title 31 RCNY 5-03 – Eligibility and Payments
Household income cannot exceed 80 percent of the New York City Area Median Income for your household size, as set by HUD.2The Rules of the City of New York. NYC Rules Title 31 RCNY 5-03 – Eligibility and Payments You also need recurring income — from employment, SSI, SSDI, or another steady source — and the rent on the apartment you choose cannot exceed 40 percent of your household’s current or projected income.1NYC Human Resources Administration. Special One-Time Assistance
One boundary matters if you plan to stay in the city: for a move within New York City, you must not be eligible for any federal, state, or city rental subsidy such as CityFHEPS. That exclusion does not apply to households relocating outside the five boroughs.1NYC Human Resources Administration. Special One-Time Assistance SOTA is a one-time benefit. You cannot receive it twice.2The Rules of the City of New York. NYC Rules Title 31 RCNY 5-03 – Eligibility and Payments
What SOTA Pays For
Approval unlocks three categories of assistance.
- One year of rent, paid monthly by HRA directly to your landlord. This changed in February 2020; earlier participants received the full year as a lump sum, but current participants have rent paid on a monthly basis.1NYC Human Resources Administration. Special One-Time Assistance
- A security deposit voucher of up to one month’s rent, which the landlord can claim against if the tenant causes damage or breaks the lease.3New York City Department of Social Services. Special One Time Assistance SOTA Security Voucher
- A broker’s fee, if you use one, of up to 15 percent of annual income.4NYC Human Resources Administration. Work With Us to Help House New Yorkers
All payments go to the landlord or broker. You do not receive cash. Before moving in, you sign a participant agreement acknowledging that this is a one-time benefit and that you will be responsible for rent after the twelve months end.5NYC Rules. Special One-Time Assistance SOTA Program
Where You Can Move
SOTA is not limited to apartments inside the five boroughs. The program funds moves within New York City, to other New York State counties, to other states, and to Puerto Rico or Washington, D.C.1NYC Human Resources Administration. Special One-Time Assistance
For apartments in New York City and in nearby counties — Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester in New York, plus Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Passaic, and Union in New Jersey — DHS or shelter provider staff conduct a walkthrough using a comprehensive review checklist before the move is approved.1NYC Human Resources Administration. Special One-Time Assistance This is an internal safety and livability review rather than a federal Housing Quality Standards inspection. The landlord must also certify that the apartment is habitable and compliant with all applicable housing and building codes.6The Rules of the City of New York. NYC Rules Title 31 RCNY 5-06 – Landlord Requirements
Documents You’ll Need
Gather paperwork early. Incomplete submissions are the most common reason applications stall.
Every household member on the shelter roster needs government-issued identification. Minors need birth certificates. You will also need current Social Security cards for each member. For income, expect to provide your most recent consecutive pay stubs or an official benefit award letter from the Social Security Administration. What the reviewer is looking for is recurring income and rent that stays within the 40 percent threshold.2The Rules of the City of New York. NYC Rules Title 31 RCNY 5-03 – Eligibility and Payments
The apartment itself requires paperwork from the landlord: a signed lease or rental agreement for at least one year, a completed W-9 with the landlord’s federal tax identification number, and proof of property ownership such as a deed or a recent property tax bill. Your shelter staff provide the application forms and help you assemble the package.7NYC Human Resources Administration. SOTA Documents
How the Application Moves
Your shelter caseworker or housing specialist submits the completed application on your behalf and acts as the go-between with the DHS SOTA Unit throughout the review. Agency staff verify your income, household composition, and lease terms.2The Rules of the City of New York. NYC Rules Title 31 RCNY 5-03 – Eligibility and Payments
The city also runs a rent reasonableness check, comparing the proposed rent to what similar apartments in the area charge, using a web-based tool that complies with federal standards.8New York City Department of Social Services. Rent Reviews for CityFHEPS, FHEPS, and SOTA Programs Frequently Asked Questions The SOTA Unit reviews the landlord’s standing and the property’s certificates of occupancy. Any discrepancies trigger a request for more documentation, which pauses the timeline until your caseworker resolves it. Plan for several weeks.
After the Year Ends
Once the twelve months of SOTA payments run out, you are fully responsible for your rent. There is no automatic extension, and you cannot receive SOTA a second time.1NYC Human Resources Administration. Special One-Time Assistance That is why the 40 percent rent-to-income ratio matters at the application stage. If the rent fits under that cap, the same income that qualified you should carry the apartment.
If your income drops or your situation changes during or after the SOTA year, you can call the DSS OneNumber line for referrals. Tenants in New York City can visit their local Homebase program or HRA Benefits Access Center. As a last resort, if no other housing is viable, you can reapply for shelter after the twelve-month SOTA period ends.1NYC Human Resources Administration. Special One-Time Assistance
Leaving the Apartment Early
Leaving before the year is up has consequences on both sides of the lease. If a tenant vacates or is evicted, the landlord must notify HRA within five business days and return any funds covering time the tenant did not actually live in the unit. If the landlord fails to return the excess, the city will pursue legal recoupment.1NYC Human Resources Administration. Special One-Time Assistance
Tenants who leave early should also notify DSS promptly. Walking away quietly does not clear the obligation, and because SOTA is a one-time benefit, abandoning a placement means you have used your one chance with no possibility of a second application.