Niagara Falls Leased Housing provides safe, decent, and sanitary housing conditions for very low-income families while managing resources efficiently.  We promote personal, economic, and social upward mobility to provide families the opportunity to make the transition from subsidized to non-subsidized housing.  As a public service agency, we are committed to providing excellent service to Housing Choice Voucher program participants, owners, and to the community.  

Our program is currently reaching applicants from the current waiting list. If you have questions, please contact our office at 716-286-8820.  If you are a current participant, please contact your case worker directly by using our staff page.

Below is a list of services provided and more information for program participants:

Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV)

The purpose of the HCV program is to provide rental assistance to eligible families.  The HCV program offers mobility to eligible families because the program is designed to provide tenant-based assistance rather than unit-based assistance.  This allows families more options in housing selection in our city.  Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Niagara Falls Leased Housing will maintain a waiting list and select families for the program, determine family eligibility and issue vouchers, approve rental units that meet housing quality standards, and make housing assistance payments to the rental owner in a timely manner.

Project-Based Vouchers (PBV)

PBV is a unit-based assistance approach to family assistance rather than the tenant based approach of HCV.  As a Public Housing Authority (PHA), Niagara Falls Leased Housing has the option to use up to 20% of our voucher assistance to implement a PBV program.  Much of the regulations and policies of the HCV program also apply to the PBV program, other than the main difference of being unit-based rather than tenant-based.  Niagara Falls Leased Housing partners with Cornerstone and Housing Visions for project-based units.

Enhanced Vouchers

Enhanced Vouchers are available to tenants who would otherwise be adversely affected by HUD program decisions.  Enhanced vouchers are generally issued to provide continued assistance for a family at the termination of PBV rental assistance.  If the family stays in the same project, the voucher payment standard covers the full market rent.  Enhanced vouchers have several special requirements, but in all other respects are subject to the regulations and policies of the PBV program.

Homeownership Vouchers

Homeownership Vouchers may be eligible to families that qualify for HCV to assist in helping eligible first-time homeowners with their monthly homeownership expenses.  There are two forms of homeownership assistance that may be offered under this option: (1) monthly homeownership assistance payments, or (2) a single down payment assistance grant. Niagara Falls Leased Housing may choose to offer either or both forms of homeownership assistance, or choose not to offer either. If a offered both forms of assistance, a family must choose only one form of assistance to receive.

Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS)

When a family is accepted into the HCV program, the family is eligible to participate in FSS.  This is a contract that incorporates the family’s individual training and services plan – a series of intermediate and long-term goals, the steps the family needs to take, and the services and resources the family may need to access in order to achieve those goals. The term of the FSS contact is generally 5 years, but it may extend for another 2 years for good cause.

Helpful Links

Tenant Owner Landlord Alliance (TOLA) Housing Quality Standards Education Videos

Leased Housing Contact

Phone: 716-286-8820 Fax: 716-286-8824 Email: leasedhousingnf@niagarafallsny.gov