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There are 5,573 low-income apartments in Buffalo that offer reduced rents to eligible households. Low-income rents in Buffalo, New York can range from $750 to $1,055 depending on the number of bedrooms.
Rental assistance programs support 7,296 low-income homes in Buffalo where households pay rent based on how much they earn. For 2024, elgible households participating in federally assisted housing pay an average of $341 towards rent each month.
Affordable rent data for some communities last confirmed on July 3rd, 2024. Subdsidized rents typically change once a year based on federal guidance.
Public Housing Agencies Serving Buffalo, New York
Public Housing Agencies operate federally assisted affordable housing programs at local levels on behalf of HUD. Notably, housing agencies are responsible for managing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher waiting lists within their jurisdiction.
| Housing Authority | Programs |
|---|---|
| Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV); Public Housing |
| Town of Amherst | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) |
| City of North Tonawanda | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) |
| Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) |
| Rental Assistance Corporation of Buffalo | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) |
| Belmont Housing Resources for WNY | Family Self-Sufficiency |
Buffalo, New York Affordable Housing Data
Income Based Apartments in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo features 7,296 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in Buffalo, New York
There are 5,573 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Buffalo.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Buffalo, New York
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Buffalo landlords $500 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $300 towards rent in Buffalo.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Buffalo, New York for a two-bedroom apartment is between $1,047 and $1,279.
2024 Buffalo, New York Fair Market Rents and Housing Choice Voucher Payment Standards
Fair Market Rents can be used to better understand the average housing costs of an area. Fair Market Rents are used by HUD to establish payment and rent standards for federal rental assistance programs like the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.
| Studio | One BR | Two BR | Three BR | Four BR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo, New York Fair Market Rent | $951 | $992 | $1,163 | $1,424 | $1,604 |
| Buffalo, New York Payment Standard Range | $856 to $1,046 | $893 to $1,091 | $1,047 to $1,279 | $1,282 to $1,566 | $1,444 to $1,764 |
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
Buffalo, NY Affordable Housing Snapshot
| Total Affordable Apartment Properties | 143 |
|---|---|
| Total Low Income Apartments | 12,869 |
| Total Housing Units with Rental Assistance | 7,296 |
| Percentage of Housing Units Occupied By Renters | 58.5% |
| Average Renter Household Size | 2.20 |
| Average Household Size | 2.27 |
| Median Household Income | $31,918 ±$678 |
| Median Rent | $699 ±$8 |
| Percentage Of Renters Overburdened | 51.64% ± 1.62pp |
| Total Population | 259,517 |
Population and Household Demographics
Buffalo is a city in Erie County, New York with a population of 259,517. There are 110,549 households in the city with an average household size of 2.27 persons. 58.5% of households in Buffalo are renters.
Income and Rent Overburden in Buffalo
The median gross income for households in Buffalo is $31,918 a year, or $2,660 a month. The median rent for the city is $699 a month.
Households who pay more than thirty percent of their gross income are considered to be Rent Overburdened. In Buffalo, a household making less than $2,330 a month would be considered overburdened when renting an apartment at or above the median rent. 51.64% of households who rent are overburdened in Buffalo.
Area Median Income In Buffalo
Affordable housing program eligibility is always determined by one's income. Each household's income is compared to the incomes of all other households in the area. This is accomplished through a statistic established by the government called the Area Median Income, most often referred to as AMI. The AMI is calculated and published each year by HUD.
HUD often uses an area larger than a city to determine the AMI because HUD anticipates those searching for housing will look beyond individual cities during their housing search. For Buffalo, the AMI is calculated from all households within Erie County.
In Buffalo, HUD calculates the Area Median Income for a family of four as $93,900
Most affordable housing programs determine eligibility based on the percent of AMI a given household's income is. Among the programs that determine eligibility based on the AMI are Section 8, HOME, LIHTC, Section 515, 202 and 811.
Rental Assistance in Buffalo
Rental assistance is a type of housing subsidy that pays for a portion of a renter’s monthly housing costs, including rent and tenant paid utilities. This housing assistance can come in the form of Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, project-based Section 8 contracts, public housing, USDA Rental Assistance (in Section 515 properties) as well as HUD Section 202 and 811 properties for elderly and disabled households.
Income Qualifications for HUD Rental Assistance in Buffalo
| 1 Person | 2 Person | 3 Person | 4 Person | 5 Person | 6 Person | 7 Person | 8 Person | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 30% of the Buffalo AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Extremely Low Income households. |
$19,500 | $22,300 | $25,100 | $30,000 | $35,140 | $40,280 | $45,420 | $50,560 |
| 50% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 50% of the Buffalo AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Very Low Income households. |
$32,500 | $37,150 | $41,800 | $46,400 | $50,150 | $53,850 | $57,550 | $61,250 |
| 80% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 80% of the Buffalo AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Low Income households. |
$52,000 | $59,400 | $66,850 | $74,250 | $80,200 | $86,150 | $92,100 | $98,050 |
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