Albany, NY – Today, Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan), Chair of the Assembly Committee on Housing, hailed passage of her landmark legislation, the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP), in the 2025-26 New York State budget. This measure is widely supported by a broad coalition of tenants, housing advocates and real estate.

“I am thrilled that after years of advocating for the passage of the bill I sponsor, HAVP, the Executive has finally agreed to include this lifesaving benefit in this year’s budget,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal. “For decades, housing vouchers have been a proven tool in reducing homelessness and housing instability in cities across the country. Providing New Yorkers with much-needed rental assistance, especially during an affordability crisis, is truly a no brainer. I know this groundbreaking program will unlock thousands of apartment doors for those who are living in shelter, languishing on our streets or struggling to get by in New York State.”

HAVP will create a statewide voucher program for homeless New Yorkers and those at risk of eviction. The state-level voucher, which is modeled on federal Section 8, will cap a person’s rent at 30% of their income. Voucher standards will be pegged to 90% to 120% of an area’s fair market rent. The initial allocation will be in proportion to the number of households in each county and New York City who are severely rent-burdened. Priority will be given to applicants who are homeless.

“The inclusion of HAVP in this year’s budget is an incredible step forward in the struggle to provide New Yorkers with safe, stable and affordable housing. However, our advocacy cannot end here. Looming threats to Section 8 and other critical federal housing benefits underscore the need for such a program, and I will continue fighting to expand funding for it in next year’s budget,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal.

HAVP will go into effect on March 1, 2026. The measure was sponsored by Sen. Brian Kavanagh in the State Senate.

“The Legal Aid Society applauds the Legislature for taking this critical first step toward addressing New York’s homelessness and housing crises by creating a pilot for the Housing Access Voucher Program,” said Judith Goldiner, Attorney-In-Charge of the Civil Law Reform Unit at The Legal Aid Society. “For far too long, the lack of accessible, affordable housing has left countless New Yorkers trapped in shelters, living on the street, or teetering on the brink of eviction. HAVP has the potential to transform lives by providing New Yorkers who are unhoused or at risk of being unhoused with the support necessary to secure safe, stable housing in the private market. We thank Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Senator Brian Kavanagh, Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, and other lawmakers for securing passage of this critical legislation.”

“The landmark inclusion of funding for the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) in the approved state budget marks a historic day for New York,” said Christine C. Quinn, President & CEO of Win. “Win is proud to have helped lead advocacy efforts to pass HAVP alongside the bill sponsors Assemblymember Rosenthal and Senator Kavanagh. This commonsense solution will help thousands of people move out of shelter for good. Today, we are thrilled that Governor Hochul, Speaker Heastie, Leader Stewart-Cousins, along with other leaders in the state legislature, came together to answer our call to action. Together, we will work diligently to successfully rollout HAVP statewide, ensuring that we can finally break the cycle of homelessness for the most vulnerable New Yorkers.”

"We are thrilled by the inclusion of $50 million for the Housing Access Voucher Program,” said Baaba Halm, Senior Vice President for Programs, Enterprise Community Partners. “For years, Enterprise has co-led the Coalition working to advance HAVP and we are so thankful to Assemblymember Rosenthal, Senator Kavanagh, Governor Hochul and all of the leaders who have gotten this across the finish line. Put simply: this will save families from eviction and expedite the placement of others from shelter into permanent housing. Let's build off the momentum of this moment and continue to go even further."

"VOCAL-NY members are grateful that Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins, and our bill sponsors, Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal and Senator Brian Kavanagh, heeded our call and strongly fought for the Housing Access Voucher Program. The federal government's cuts will subject many more to homelessness, and getting this version of HAVP up and running is a critical first step. We will not give up until we establish a permanent statewide rental assistance program and will commit to working to make this first phase of the program a success," said Adolfo Abreu, Housing Campaigns Director of VOCAL-NY.

"With homelessness on the rise and looming cuts to social services threatening to turn our current crisis into a catastrophe, the creation of a state rental subsidy program to help New Yorkers pay the rent is essential and welcome news. It could not have come soon enough for many who are struggling to stay in their homes. We’re grateful to Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and sponsors Senator Kavanagh and Assembly Member Rosenthal for fighting hard for a robust program that would help families trapped in temporary housing or at the brink of homelessness to find and keep long-term homes of their own. At a time when rising rents are forcing too many families into the streets or out of state, New York leaders must increase HAVP rental assistance in future years, as well as policies and investments to make rent affordable and create the housing New Yorkers need,” said Cea Weaver, director of Housing Justice for All.

"ANHD has worked alongside Housing Chair Rosenthal and our Housing Access NY coalition partners for years to secure the Housing Access Voucher Program. This $50 million investment is a start and will help thousands of families and tenants across the state get one step closer to safe and secure housing. We applaud Chair Rosenthal for her leadership and for her years of advocacy and thank all our elected champions. We know the current HAVP allocation is not enough to address the severity of the current homelessness problem, and we urge Governor Hochul to commit to investing more resources. ANHD and our partners will continue to fight to secure more vouchers for our neighbors," said Barika Williams, Executive Director of the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development.