Rural Rental Assistance Program

Overview

The Rural Rental Assistance Program provides New York State rental subsidies for projects financed with mortgages from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Services (RHS) (formerly Federal Farmers Home Administration) 515 Program. The current contract term is 5 years, provided in annual increments.

Income Population Served

The Rural Rental Assistance Program provides direct rent subsidies to project owners for low-income elderly and family tenants residing in RD financed multifamily projects in rural areas of New York State.

Funding Limitations

The statute requires that this program operate in conjunction with low-interest mortgage financing provided by the USDA under Title V of the Housing Act of 1949.

Subsidies under the Rural Rental Assistance Program are equal to the difference between 30 percent of the tenant's monthly income and the tenant's monthly housing expenses.

If you have any questions on this matter, please direct them to [email protected].

RRAP Owner Portal

Proposed Amendments to the RRAP Regulations

A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the New York State Rural Rental Assistance Program (“RRAP”) regulations was published the State Register on October 15th, 2025. HCR will accept public comments on the proposed regulations through December 22nd, 2025.

HCR will host public hearings on the proposed amendments on Wednesday December 17th from 10:00am-12:00pm at the following locations:

641 Lexington Ave., 2nd floor, New York, NY

38-40 State Street, Albany, NY

620 Erie Blvd., Syracuse, NY

Please send comments and any questions to [email protected].

Join the public hearing virtually:

https://meetny-gov.webex.com/meetny-gov/j.php?MTID=m06db59d9bc05cf1ba72ed03e6b51f470

Webinar number:

2836 719 3800

Webinar password:

qhQTV3Pc7S3 (74788372 when dialing from a phone or video system)

Join by video system