SHA is increasing ‘flat rent’ each of the next three years. What does it really mean?

About 1 in 5 Syracuse Housing Authority residents could soon see their rent increase. 

The housing authority is increasing what it calls “flat rent” — the rate offered to non-Section 8 tenants — in 2026 and each year through 2028, said Executive Director William Simmons. Flat rents had not been increased for about two decades, Simmons said. 

“Just to make sure that everything, all the new developments, run in an economically sustainable way, we had to make the increases to the flat rent,” Simmons said. 

Of 2,300 public housing units, there are 444 households that are currently paying flat rate rent. 

The increase is tied to a 2022 mandate from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Public housing authorities were ordered to make flat rents at least 80% of an area’s “fair market rent” — an amount calculated by HUD. Those rents change based on the location of the public housing apartment and the number of bedrooms in the household. 

SHA and other public housing authorities are allowed to apply for an exception to the mandate and charge lower than 80% of an area’s “fair market rent.” 

Residents who pay flat rent will also have a choice: If 30% of their annual income is less than the new flat rate rent, residents will be able to choose to pay whichever amount is lower.  

Nearly 200 households will likely not have to pay the full increase as their rent is capped at 30% of the adjusted income, Deputy Executive Director Jalyn Clifford said. 

Blueprint 15 Program Coordinator Marquita Hetherington received the same Syracuse Housing Authority notice that was shared on Facebook and sparked concern among tenants.  

Hetherington has paid the flat rent of $640 since she moved into her residence at Pioneer Homes in 2018. It is considerably lower than what she could have paid if SHA charged her 30% of her income, she said.  

Now, as the housing authority is poised to increase the flat rent, she will pay $864 when her lease renews in April. In 2027, SHA projects Hetherington and one-bedroom tenants like her will pay $1,166 and then $1,392 in April 2028.

Flat rent was introduced by HUD in 1998 for public housing residents who had continuous income fluctuations. The flat rents do not vary with their income, which allows people who work seasonal jobs like construction to not have to report income changes to have their rent adjusted, Clifford said. 

Flat rents are often based on the fair market rent for an area. Fair market rent refers to the HUD-issued rent estimates for apartments which are in the 40th percentile of the standard-quality apartments. 

All new residents will have to pay the new flat rents. Current residents will see their rents at least nearly double over the next three years. 

“We wanted to make sure it was properly phased in,” Clifford said. 

While the increases are taking effect for the beginning of next year, the rent hikes will not affect the residents until they renew their leases.  

The rent increase comes as SHA redevelops its public housing stock.  The first phase of construction closed Oct. 30. Demolition has begun at Chavez Terrace, located in McKinney Manor. The second phase is on track to closing at the end of the year, commissioners said at the board’s October meeting. 

The housing authority has struggled to begin the redevelopment of public housing. This year, the turmoil around the project came to a head. Outgoing Mayor Ben Walsh has expressed concern about SHA Executive Director William Simmons’ leadership, though he stopped short of calling for Simmons’ ousting.

Walsh recently appointed two new Mayor-elect Sharon Owens’ allies to the SHA board after former board chair Calvin Corriders Sr. announced that he was stepping down in October. Corriders was on the board for about four years and served as board chair for about two years. Commissioner Walter Dixie’s term expired last month. 

The board has not picked a chair yet. The next monthly meeting is scheduled for Nov. 20, which will be the final SHA board meeting for the year. Commissioners will decide on the chair and vice chair of the SHA board for 2026 during that meeting, Vice Chair Christopher Montgomery said.  

Here are the tables depicting the increase in flat rate rents provided by SHA:

Pioneer Homes, James Geddes, Central Village, Central Village, Ross Towers, Vignette Towers, Fahey Court, Benderson Heights, McKinney Manor

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