Payment of housing vouchers

* § 609. Payment of housing vouchers. 1. The housing voucher shall be\npaid directly to any owner under a contract between the owner of the\ndwelling unit to be occupied by the voucher recipient and the\nappropriate housing access voucher local administrator. The commissioner\nshall determine the form of the housing assistance payment contract and\nthe method of payment. A housing assistance payment contract entered\ninto pursuant to this section shall establish the payment standard\n(including utilities and all maintenance and management charges) which\nthe owner is entitled to receive for each dwelling unit with respect to\nwhich such assistance payments are to be made. The payment standard\nshall not exceed one hundred twenty percent nor be less than ninety\npercent of the fair market rent for the rental area in which it is\nlocated. Fair market rent shall be determined pursuant to the procedures\nand standards as set forth in the Federal Housing Choice voucher\nprogram, as set forth in the applicable sections of Part 888 of Title 24\nof the Code of Federal Regulations. Fair market rent for a rental area\nshall be published not less than annually by the commissioner and shall\nbe made available on the website of New York state homes and community\nrenewal.\n 2. A housing assistance payment contract entered into pursuant to\nsubdivision one of this section may provide for an initial payment of up\nto five months of rent arrears that have accrued during prior occupancy\nof a dwelling unit by a voucher recipient if such payment of arrears is\nnecessary to continue such voucher recipient's occupancy of such\ndwelling unit, and thereby prevent imminent loss of housing.\n * NB Expires May 1, 2030\n