More than 150,000 households eagerly applied within just 12 hours for the opportunity to join New York City's waiting list for the Section 8 federal program, which subsidizes rent for low-income families.

The Section 8 program has been at maximum capacity for some time, with approximately 100,000 households already benefiting from it. However, the waiting list, which has been closed since 2009, is now open for new applications. The city aims to add 200,000 households to this list, with the application portal remaining open until June 9th.

After the application period closes, a lottery will be held in August to select 1,000 households each month for the program. This surge in applications reflects the intensifying housing affordability crisis in New York City, with the apartment vacancy rate hitting a historic low of 1.4% in 2023.

Securing a Section 8 voucher doesn't guarantee immediate access to affordable housing, as recipients often struggle to find brokers willing to assist them or landlords willing to accept government assistance. To address this issue, Mayor Eric Adams' administration plans to establish a new waiting list on August 1st, selecting 200,000 applicants through a lottery system.

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