Section 8 in Buffalo, NY: FMR & Landlord Guide
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area (CBSA 15380). FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, housing authorities and wait-list status, and source-of-income law. Every figure below links back to its source.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. Payment standards (what a PHA actually pays) are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at PHA discretion.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard (90–110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,105 | $995 – $1,216 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,139 | $1,025 – $1,253 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,343 | $1,209 – $1,477 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,640 | $1,476 – $1,804 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,869 | $1,682 – $2,056 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Buffalo, NY covers up to $1,343 in gross rent (before the tenant’s utility allowance). Between the low and high end of the range: $1,209–$1,477.
Voucher demand in this metro
Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means voucher holders are placed and reliably paying rent, a stable but competitive tenant pool for accepting landlords.
Housing authorities serving Buffalo, NY
10 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Contact the PHA that covers the specific address you’re considering.
- Status unknown
Town of Amherst
Buffalo, NY · NY091 · 5,695 HCV units
- Status unknown
City of Buffalo
Buffalo, NY · NY409 · 5,329 HCV units
- Status unknown
City of Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, NY · NY404 · 981 HCV units
- Status unknown
City of North Tonawanda
Buffalo, NY · NY405 · 674 HCV units
- Status unknown
Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority
Buffalo, NY · NY002 · 617 HCV units
- Status unknown
Lockport Housing Authority
Lockport, NY · NY070 · 192 HCV units
- Status unknown
Niagara Falls Housing Authority
Niagara Falls, NY · NY011 · 0 HCV units
- Status unknown
Kenmore Municipal Housing Authority
Kenmore, NY · NY400 · 0 HCV units
- Status unknown
Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority
Buffalo, NY · NY449 · 0 HCV units
- Status unknown
Lackawanna Municipal Housing Authority
Lackawanna, NY · NY029 · 0 HCV units
Source-of-income law in NY
NY state law prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to Section 8 voucher holders on the basis of their source of income.
NY State Human Rights Law · view statute →
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current status before making a leasing decision.
Analyze a specific Buffalo, NY property
Look up the address’s SAFMR (ZIP-level rent), plug the numbers into the voucher-vs-market analyzer, and check the HQS pre-inspection list before scheduling.