Rentals in Syracuse
Live Zillow rental listings for Syracuse — map and list view, updated daily.
Goes to: zillow.com ↗Housing · Ndako · Nyumba
Find a home — listings, vouchers & the community board.
Real rental listings on the big sites, the affordable-housing authorities for our cities, and a community board where members post rooms, apartments and roommate requests.
Current listings — live rental sites
Every button below opens live, current listings on that site — real apartments and houses for rent right now. We never invent listings: if a link ever looks wrong, tell us.
Rentals in Rochester
Live Zillow rental listings for Rochester — map and list view, updated daily.
Goes to: zillow.com ↗Rentals in Buffalo
Live Zillow rental listings for Buffalo — map and list view, updated daily.
Goes to: zillow.com ↗Rentals in Albany
Live Zillow rental listings for Albany — map and list view, updated daily.
Goes to: zillow.com ↗Rentals in Utica
Live Zillow rental listings for Utica — map and list view, updated daily.
Goes to: zillow.com ↗Rentals in Binghamton
Live Zillow rental listings for Binghamton — map and list view, updated daily.
Goes to: zillow.com ↗Apartments.com
One of the largest apartment sites — photos, prices and online applications.
Goes to: apartments.com ↗Realtor.com Rentals
Rental homes and apartments listed through agents and property managers.
Goes to: realtor.com ↗AffordableHousing.com
Income-based and voucher-friendly rentals — filter for Section 8 and income-restricted housing statewide.
Goes to: affordablehousing.com ↗⚠️ Rental-scam warning
- Never pay to view an apartment or to join a waitlist — both are always free.
- See the place in person, in daylight, with a friend before paying anything.
- Never wire money or hand over cash without a signed lease and keys in your hand.
- Anyone charging to “speed up” a Section 8 voucher is scamming you — waitlists are free.
Affordable housing — your city's housing authority
Syracuse Housing Authority
Public housing and Section 8 for Syracuse; applications through its online portal. Section 8 waitlist: currently CLOSED.
syracusehousing.org ↗Section 8 program page ↗
Rochester Housing Authority
675 West Main Street, Rochester, NY 14611 — public housing and Housing Choice Vouchers for the Rochester area.
Section 8 / vouchers ↗Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority
300 Perry Street, Buffalo, NY 14204 · (716) 855-6711 — Buffalo’s public housing. Section 8 waitlist: closed, expected to reopen sometime in 2026.
Voucher program page ↗Albany Housing Authority
200 South Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12202 · (518) 641-7500 — public housing and vouchers for Albany. Not currently accepting Section 8 applications.
Rental assistance page ↗Utica Municipal Housing Authority
509 2nd Street, Utica, NY 13501 — public housing and vouchers for Utica, plus a Housing Information and Referral Center.
uticamha.org ↗Binghamton Housing Authority
35 Exchange Street, Binghamton, NY 13901 — public housing and vouchers for Binghamton.
Section 8 page ↗🎟️ Section 8 / Housing Choice Vouchers — how it works
- You apply to your local housing authority when its waitlist opens — openings are rare and announced on the authority's site and in local media.
- If selected, the voucher pays part of your rent directly to a private landlord; you generally pay about 30% of your income.
- Keep your address and phone updated with the authority while you wait — if they can't reach you, you lose your place.
- Never pay anyone to join a waitlist or “speed up” a voucher — that is always a scam.
🧾 Renter tips
- Documents landlords usually ask for: photo ID, proof of income (pay stubs or benefit letters), references. A lack of U.S. credit history is common for newcomers — an offer of a larger deposit or a co-signer can help; know that NY caps security deposits at one month's rent.
- Read the lease before signing; ask for an interpreter or bring a trusted friend.
- Get repair requests in writing and keep copies.
- Problems with a landlord or an eviction notice? Free help is in our Legal Services directory.
- Rural areas: ask your county housing authority and local community action agency about rural rental assistance programs.
New York State — affordable housing programs
Find Affordable Housing (HCR)
Statewide affordable apartment listings, housing lotteries and renter resources from NY Homes & Community Renewal.
Goes to: hcr.ny.gov ↗Housing Lotteries & Open Waitlists
Affordable housing lotteries across New York State — apply online when lotteries open.
Goes to: hcr.ny.gov/lotteries ↗NY Section 8 Portal
The state-run voucher portal — apply online, recertify, and contact your county administrator.
Goes to: section8.hcr.ny.gov ↗Need shelter tonight?
📞 Dial 2-1-1 — free, 24/7
The single fastest door to emergency shelter in any of our six cities. Free, confidential, with interpreters — they connect you to shelters, rapid re-housing and prevention programs near you.
Emergency shelters & services
211 WNY — shelter directory ↗
Rescue Mission — Syracuse (183-bed shelter) ↗
The Rescue Mission also serves Auburn and Binghamton.
🏠 Community housing board
Members post available rooms, apartments and roommate requests — posts appear instantly during your visit. “Example” posts show the format. Meet safely: see a place in person, in daylight, with a friend, before paying anything.
Buy a Home
Buying your first home in New York — step by step.
From renter to homeowner: the programs, the people to talk to, and the vacant houses you can buy cheap. Verified Nov 4, 2026
🪜 Step 1–3: Get ready
- Talk to a FREE HUD counselor first — before any bank. They review your budget and credit for free: hud.gov — find a counselor ↗ or call 800-569-4287.
- Check your credit — free reports at annualcreditreport.com. Pay down cards; don't open new credit before buying.
- Save + get pre-approved — a lender's pre-approval letter shows sellers you're serious. Compare at least 3 lenders.
🏛️ SONYMA — NY's first-time buyer loans
New York's mortgage agency: low-interest 30-year fixed loans for first-time buyers. SONYMA doesn't take applications directly — apply through a participating lender (finder on their site). 1-800-382-4663.
- Achieving the Dream: lowest rates, up to 97% financing, only 1% cash from you.
- DPAL: 0% second loan up to $15,000 for down payment/closing — forgiven after 10 years living there.
- DPAL Plus 2026: up to $30,000 at 0% for lower-income buyers (limited funds, first-come).
🏦 FHA loans — 3.5% down
FHA-insured loans let lenders offer better terms: down payment as low as 3.5%, easier credit qualifying, 1–4 unit properties. Not only for first-time buyers.
hud.gov — FHA loans ↗💰 City down-payment help
- Rochester: up to $3,000 grant (city limits).
- Buffalo: up to $5,000, forgivable.
- Albany: up to $10,000 deferred second mortgage.
- Syracuse: up to $4,000 closing-cost help via Home HeadQuarters (315-474-1939).
- FHLBNY Dream Program: grants up to $30,000 through member banks.
Amounts change — confirm with the city or your HUD counselor before counting on them.
🧟 "Zombie" houses — buy vacant homes cheap
NY land banks take tax-foreclosed vacant houses and sell them cheap to buyers who will fix and live in them:
- Syracuse: syracuselandbank.org ↗ — browse for-sale listings · 315-476-4004
- Albany County: albanycountylandbank.org ↗ · (518) 407-0309
- Buffalo/Erie/Niagara: benlic.org ↗ — rehabbed homes + "Vacant to Value" fixer-uppers · 716-243-3996
- Rochester: Rochester Land Bank ↗ · 585-428-7320
- Binghamton (Broome): broomelandbank.org — Affordable Homes Program · 607-778-6001
NY law (since 2016) forces banks to maintain vacant homes — report neglected ones: 800-342-3736. dfs.ny.gov — vacant property rights ↗
⚠️ Avoid these traps
- Never buy without a professional home inspection — $300–500 now saves $30,000 later.
- Never sign blank documents or let anyone rush you at closing.
- Get the title search — makes sure no one else claims the house.
- "Rent-to-own" and land contracts often favor the seller — have your HUD counselor review first.
- Walk away from any deal that feels wrong. There will be another house.
U★
Umoja AI AssistantHousing · Asylum · Jobs · Services — in your language
Community guidance only — not legal advice. For legal cases, the assistant connects you to accredited help and the free NYS Hotline 1-800-566-7636.