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Gowanus, Brooklyn has continued to change drastically, especially with the development of brand new residential and mixed-use buildings around the neighborhood. For better or for worse, Gowanus is now a bonafide “hot” neighborhood to live in and prices are going up.
That’s why it’s important that the city helps keep things affordable as possible, and one of those ways is by introducing affordable housing in the area.
A brand new lottery just opened on Union Street. Below is everything you need to know about it.
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Where is it?
655 Union Street in Gowanus, Brooklyn in a new building by Avery Hall.
How many units are available?
Fifty units out of 193 residences in the 13-story building.
What units are available?
Thirty-nine one-bedrooms, 11 two-bedrooms, and seven three-bedrooms. Five percent of units are set aside for residents with mobility issues while 2% is set aside for those with vision and hearing disability. Community Board residents get 20% of the units while NYC employees will get 5%.
How much do they cost?
It depends on income and household size, but the one-bedrooms are listed between $888 to $3,330 per month and the two-bedrooms are listed at $1,051 to $3,982 per month.
Tenants are responsible for electricity including heat.
What else do we know about this building?
It is a 200,000-square-foot mixed-use building with ground-floor retail on Union Street across from the Union Street R station. It has year-round, state-of-the-art amenities, including a rooftop terrace, a fitness center, a pilates studio, a business center, a lounge, a dog-washing station, bike storage lockers and a recreation room. Avery Hall is the design architect on the project and L+Z Architecture is the executive architect.
“655 Union Street is a one-of-a-kind building that combines classic design with world-class amenities in the heart of Gowanus,” said Brian Ezra, Founding Principal of Avery Hall, in a statement. “With today’s lottery opening, we look forward to welcoming new residents to our community at 655 Union and are grateful to our partners at Gindi Capital for making this milestone possible.”
What’s nearby?
The beloved, family-friendly neighborhood Carroll Gardens with all its great mom-and-pop shops and restaurants is just a walk west across the canal. The Whole Foods market is just a 10 minute walk around the corner, and Powerhouse Arts, Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club and Dinosaur BBQ are right across the street. This really is a prime location.
There’s another affordable housing lottery nearby that you may want to apply to also.
How do I qualify?
Your household income must be between 40 and 130 percent of the area median income (AMI)—approximately $33,772 and $218,010—per year. Qualified applicants will be required to meet additional selection criteria and those who live in NYC get a preference for apartments.
How do I apply and by what date?
To apply, you have to create an account on NYC Housing Connect, the main portal for the city’s affordable housing lotteries. You can find this listing here.
If you’re interested in throwing your hat into the ring to this affordable housing lottery, make sure to act fast—they tend to be pretty competitive and this building’s prime location probably means that the units won’t take long to get snatched up. The lottery ends on December 23, 2024.