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You don’t have to make a sacrifice to the gods to win an affordable housing lottery.
When Manhattanites Stephanie Schroeder and her partner Lisa Haas won an affordable housing lottery eight years ago, they simply followed the guidelines.
The then-Bushwick residents, one of whom lived in a fourth-floor walk-up, were vying for an accessible and affordable apartment of their own after losing their jobs in the 2008 recession and living off freelance work. When they coincidentally saw an ad in Time Out New York, they decided they’d give it a shot (by mailing in their application!) and were contacted several weeks later to begin the vetting process.
Turns out, their hopeful replays of “Movin’ on Up” from the sitcom The Jeffersons didn’t manifest the win, it just made for a fun lead up.
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“It was unbelievable,” Haas recalls about winning the lottery. The couple was offered a corner unit in a new Midtown West building with floor-to-ceiling windows, a doorman, a washer and dryer and an elevator—for under $900 a month.
“It was a relief,” Schroeder adds. “I never win anything, but I would say it’s not luck. It’s half preparation … it’s not going to work at all if you don’t prepare.”
The couple isn’t lucky. Their lotto win isn’t some fortuitous blip. It really comes down to, yes, preparation, but also perseverance and proof.
So with those very wise words in mind, we’ve gathered nine tips on how to increase your chances of winning an affordable housing lottery, based on advice from Schroeder and Haas.
We also reached out to Aileen Reynolds, the Assistant Commissioner of Housing Opportunity at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
9 tips for winning an affordable housing lottery in NYC
1. Sign up on Housing Connect
To find out about new affordable housing lotteries and be able to apply to them, you need to first sign up for the service on NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s (HPD) Housing Connect website. Sure, you can still rely on HPD’s advertisements in local papers or write in to get an application, but those processes will be slower.
“Essentially [Housing Connect] is a one-stop shop for finding affordable housing that the city is involved in in some way,” Reynolds says.
Once you’re on Housing Connect, Reynolds says to “take a few minutes [to] browse what’s opening. New lotteries are posted every day. There were 37 today and tomorrow there might be more. I’d recommend checking back and seeing what’s out there.”
2. Apply to lotteries you qualify for (and actually want)
It might seem like common sense, but apply only for a lottery you qualify for. Each lottery lists a table of available units and their requirements. For example, the housing lottery for the Marcus Garvey Apartments says that your household’s income must be between $29,555 and $117,390 a year to be eligible.
If you apply for this lottery and fall under or above that range, you’ll automatically be removed from the lottery or not allowed to apply (you should get a warning message on Housing Connect if you don’t seem to qualify).
And don't think about misrepresenting your income. According to Reynolds, you will be asked for proof of it all.
“We don’t restrict folks from applying,” she says. “The number one [applicant in the lottery] may get called but if they’re not qualified, we’re moving on to number two.”
“It’s admittedly [a] complicated process,” she continues. “It’s helpful if you look at the advertisement when considering the opportunity to see whether you qualify or not. Make sure you’re putting your efforts into a lottery you’re likely to qualify for and not spending your effort and getting emotionally drained applying to things you’re not qualified for.”
And, if you don’t want an apartment, whether because it’s in a neighborhood you don’t like or doesn't boast a specific feature you are interested in, do not apply. Doing so would only lengthen the process for everyone else.
3. Know your chances and keep trying
“Lottery” has a certain connotation. It feels random and unlikely because so many of us have been on the losing end. But according to Reynolds, it works best for HPD.
“We [have] been doing lotteries for decades, back to when Mayor Koch was putting envelopes in a bag and shaking it and pulling out a winner,” she says. “The lottery has been around so long because the demand is so high. A lottery is [the] most equitable and fair way to do this. We admit it’s a challenge and we get inquiries and stories of New Yorkers in need. We empathize with that, but at this moment in time, we have one million users looking for housing. Last year, we housed over 9,000 households through the lottery, which is a huge accomplishment.”
The lottery actually randomizes applicants through an algorithm and then assigns them a number. HPD then starts at number 1 and goes down the list until they find an applicant who qualifies.
Additionally, those with vision, hearing and mobility disabilities/issues as well as veterans, community board members and other city employees are often given priority.
If you fall into any of these categories, it’s a good idea to apply since you’ll be prioritized over other applicants.
And keep trying. Just because you don’t win one, two or even three lotteries, there is still a chance to get the call and find your new home.
“I think anyone who’s ever won any lottery, but definitely the housing lottery, would say they never thought that they would be selected,” Reynolds says.
“Almost everybody I know, I tell them about the lottery and their response is ‘I make too much’ or ‘too little’ and they never apply,” Haas explains. “Apply! Sign up! It’s easy. It might take somebody a year or five years to win, but it’s really easy to apply. You never know. I’ve been called for three lotteries!”
4. Update your profile
It's important to update your Housing Connect profile with the most recent information, including any disabilities and your household income. If that information is out of date, you could be turned down when you might otherwise be eligible.
5. Check your email and account regularly
Once you’re contacted via email and Housing Connect, you must submit documentation to support your application and you only have 10 days (two business weeks) to do that.
“You don’t know when you’ll be contacted,” Reynolds says, noting that there are deadlines for HPD requests for information. “After you apply and the application deadline passes, you can be contacted in one month or in one year (if it’s larger building or if they’re still leasing).”
6. Have all your documents printed out and ready to go
Given the quick turnaround, it’s best to have all your documentation—you can find a full rundown of what you need right here—ready to go, printed and readily accessible digitally. Otherwise, you may miss your opportunity.
“Get a filing cabinet so you can organize your papers,” says Haas. “There is some paper stuff that you need to keep in order so that when you do get called, there’s enough paperwork to go through.”
7. Appeal a wrongful decision
Did you know you can actually appeal HPD’s decision if they deem you unqualified for an affordable apartment? You’ll need to prove your eligibility by providing the documents we linked to above but, just because you get denied, it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road. You can always check the status of your application on the dashboard of Housing Connect.
8. Don’t be afraid to break a lease
Reynolds, Haas and Schroeder all agree that if you want to win an affordable housing lottery, you shouldn't be afraid to break your current lease. Losing the opportunity to have a rent stabilized apartment for years to a lease that does not serve you is short-sighted.
“The turnover time [between selection and lease signing] is really fast,” says Schroeder. “You have to move within a short timeline, so sometimes you have to break a lease or find someone to take over your lease, but it’s worth it.”
Reynolds suggests not basing your future around lease terms and not only applying as your lease is about to end.
“It can take some time to actually be contacted and processed,” she explains. “It’s not useful to dictate your housing search around your lease term. That’s kind of counter how the New York housing market works, but it’s important, especially for New Yorkers … to think about the housing lottery in the long term and as a long game.”
9. Broaden your horizons
If you’re less picky about what neighborhood you live in, you may have a higher chance of winning a lottery, Reynolds says.
“Lotteries are all over the city,” she explains. “You can stay in your community or move to a new one if you’re interested in something new. The more options you’re open to, the higher the chance you have of being selected.”
Haas recalls only having 24 hours to make a decision on whether they wanted to move from Bushwick to the affordable apartment in midtown. They jumped on it and haven’t looked back. Both of them are able to live comfortably and do the work they love. Schroeder works for a non-profit helping older adults apply for housing. Haas is an actor, writer and adjunct professor at CUNY.
“One of the greatest joys of my job is hearing from folks who moved into their apartment, especially hearing from folks who were able to leave a vulnerable situation or start their independence,” Reynolds says. “I personally enjoy when I get to go see the buildings. I’m usually stuck in the office but, once in awhile, I go see a building and the new tenants. It’s always so rewarding to see folks happy in their apartments.”
For more information on what lotteries are open right now, check out housingconnect.nyc.gov and sign up on NYC Housing Connect today.