Photo courtesy of cisc1970/Flickr Creative Commons
There’s an undeniable need for affordable housing across Brooklyn. There are more and more households in search of safe, reasonably priced apartments in the communities they’ve been a part of for years, and many look to the city’s affordable housing lottery as a solution.
There are tens of thousands of applications for every listing on Housing Connect, and everyone is looking to get an edge in getting a log number and interview for a new home.
As an HPD Housing Ambassador, IMPACCT Brooklyn is ready to help any tenant who needs help navigating through the application process and avoid some of the misconceptions about the lottery.
Keep in mind that the following mostly applies to rental listings on Housing Connect. Listings for homeownership have different rules, such as no online applications. There’s also an ongoing conversation about preference requirements, especially for residents living in a community where developers are building housing. All this is to say that you should be closely reading every lottery listing and properly follow instructions.
In the meantime, here’s a sample of some of the myths our staff often hears about the lottery:
1. “Applying by mail can improve my chances to get picked.”
FALSE. Most listings will allow you to apply either through Housing Connect or by submitting a paper application by regular mail. There is no special preference given to either electronic or paper applications — just make sure your application is 100 percent accurate and submitted by the deadline.
2. “I can improve my chances by applying for a building both by mail AND through Housing Connect.”
NOT TRUE. In fact, applying more than once to the same lottery will automatically disqualify you for that lottery. Focus on improving your chances of getting picked by making sure your application information is accurate and that you qualify for the listing.
3. “I can just click a few buttons and apply for a lottery with my Housing Connect profile.”
NOPE. Even though you can just click apply, there are a quite a few steps that you should take before clicking that button.
Did you click the address’ hyperlink? If you did, you’d see the project’s full listing with great details from address, neighborhood, how many units are available, rents, household unit /size and minimum and maximum income levels.
Did you update your profile? If your income has changed in any way between applications, or if your household size has changed, or if you’ve moved — you need to update your Housing Connect profile. You can’t edit or amend your application once you click “apply.” Do yourself a favor — keep your profile up to date!
4. “I need to pay the broker’s fee when I apply for the lottery.”
THAT’S A NO. The City of New York oversees every housing lottery listed on Housing Connect and never charges neither an application fee nor a broker’s fee. If any organization or individual offers to secure a lottery-listed apartment in exchange for a fee, you can report the listing to 311.
5. “Only residents from the surrounding community can apply for a building.”
INCORRECT. As every lottery listing instructs, all households that meet the income and household size requirements can apply. New York City residents get a general preference for an apartment in a lottery building over non-New Yorkers. Historically, applicants who already live in the same Community Board district as the building also receive preference, but that may change going forward.
6. “It’s all fake!”
WRONG. It can take months if not years to get a positive response to a housing lottery application. That may lead some to believe that the lottery isn’t real, or that it only works for some people and not them.
But the fact is the lottery is still a lottery — there are no guarantees that any application will successfully lead to a new apartment. But there are thousands of New Yorkers who have secured new housing thanks to the lottery, and their success lies in understanding how the lottery works, being smart about which lotteries to apply for, and persevering through what can be a long process.
If you want help through that process, reach out to Affordable Housing team at affordablehousing@impacctbk.org today and make an appointment to sit down with our knowledgeable staff!
