It is always more pleasant to share good news than bad. Therefore we are happy to let Section 8 clients know that apartment rents will not be increased for an overwhelming majority of them. Rent will increase, however, for those Section 8 clients who live in three- or four-bedroom apartments. Very few will be affected in the Russian community given that not many families require such large spaces.

We have previously written about the fact that the Bush Administration, acting on advice from the Office of Management and Budget, decided to reduce the size of government subsidies for Section 8 housing using the new “Fair-Market Rent” formula.

Section 8 clients used to pay 30 percent of their total income towards rent; any remaining amount due was picked up by the government. The new “Fair-Market Rent” formula calculates that Section 8 clients should contribute 40 percent of the total income towards rent and municipal and utility expenses, thus decreasing government subsidies. But due to the hard work of New York representatives to avoid placing low-income and elderly clients into a more difficult situation, Washington reversed its position.

The highest possible subsidy amount for studio apartments will now be $893 instead of $848 dollars figured earlier; for one bedroom apartments $966 dollars, not $944 dollars; for two bedroom apartments $1,075 dollars instead of $1,073 dollars. As was noted above, however, Section 8 clients occupying three and four bedrooms apartments will need to find more money to cover their rent. For three bedroom apartments, federal subsidies will no longer cover the monthly $1,342 instead of $1322 dollars, and subsidies for four-bedroom apartments will be $1,360 instead of the previously allotted $1,504.

According to government statistics, more than 80 percent of New Yorkers who receive some form of assistance with their rent, such as apartment vouchers or government subsidies live in studios and one- and two-bedrooms apartments.