Affordable Housing

October 2, 2017

Lottery opens for 45 affordable units across from the Empire State Building, from $867/month

Living amongst the hustle and bustle of the Empire State Building may not sound appealing at first, but when you can do it in a brand new, high-end tower for less than $900 a month, the option doesn't look half bad. Starting tomorrow, New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for 45 apartments at Midtown West's sleek new rental 42 West 33rd Street. Not only do prices range from $867/month studios to $1,123/month two-bedrooms, but the 41-story glass building offers a host of amenities including a fitness center, golf simulator, swimming pool and sauna, dog wash, and outdoor terraces and gardens (some of these may require an additional fee).
Find out if you qualify
September 29, 2017

City will pay 12 months of rent for homeless families if they move out of NYC

Over the past few years, homelessness in New York City has hit its highest levels since the Great Depression. According to the Coalition for the Homeless, over 60,500 homeless people slept in one of the city’s shelters in July. To reduce these numbers, Mayor de Blasio’s administration introduced a program this week that pays 12 months of rent upfront for homeless families who find an apartment outside of NYC, as WNYC reported.
Find out more
September 29, 2017

Every borough but Staten Island is underserved by city’s affordable housing plan, study says

While in July Mayor Bill de Blasio touted his Housing New York initiative for creating the most affordable housing units since 1989, housing advocates are questioning how many of these units actually match the need of the most rent-burdened New Yorkers. According to a new analysis by the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development (ANHD), city residents with the lowest income continue to be the most under-served by the affordable units created and/or preserved under de Blasio’s plan in every borough except Staten Island. New infographics from ANHD break down the share of each borough’s rent burdened population at each income level in comparison to the percentage of units created by de Blasio’s plan that serves them.
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September 29, 2017

Live among pro athletes at Midtown West’s Sky for just $613/month

Thanks to the building’s Carmelo Anthony-designed NBA regulation-sized basketball court and 70,000-square-foot recreation facility, Midtown West's swanky Sky rental has been attracting pro athletes since it opened under the Moinian Group in 2015. Current residents include the Knicks' Kristaps Porzingis and Sasha Vujacic and Met pitcher A.J. Ramos. And now the 60-story glass slab tower at 605 West 42nd Street is offering 166 low- and middle-income units through the city's affordable housing lottery. Available to New Yorkers earning 40 or 120 of the area median income, the apartments range from $613/month studios to $2,520/month two-bedrooms. Comparatively, market-rate listings in the building range from $2,982/month studios to $4,260/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
September 25, 2017

Lottery opens for 47 mixed-income units in East New York, from $558/month

Four years ago, the Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation filed plans for a mixed-use building at 2501 Pitkin Avenue in East New York. The seven-story building known as the Pitkin Berriman Apartments has more than 3,000 square feet of street-level retail space that includes a grocery store, outdoor spaces such as a rear yard patio, playground, and garden, and affordable rentals. Those below-market-rate apartments are now available to low- and middle-income New Yorkers earning 40, 50, or 60 percent of the area median income through the city's housing lottery. The 47 available units range from $558/month one-bedrooms to $1,224/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
September 22, 2017

Live a block away from Fort Greene’s DeKalb Market Hall for just $867/month

With apartments ranging from $867/month studios to $1,123/month two-bedrooms, you might have some cash leftover to splurge on a Katz's pastrami sandwich, frozen key lime pie, or smoked rack of ribs at Brooklyn's largest food hall, DeKalb Market, just around the corner. You'll also be just two blocks from all the action at 9 DeKalb Avenue, the borough's future tallest tower. These 22 brand new residences at 237 Duffield Street, a 105-unit building designed by Karl Fischer, come online Tuesday through the city's affordable housing lottery and are reserved for New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income.
Find out if you qualify
September 22, 2017

Huge South Bronx affordable housing complex will include Hip Hop Museum, food hall, and more

A vacant waterfront site in the booming South Bronx will give way to an enormous affordable housing complex with 1,045 residential units, a home for the much-hyped Universal Hip-Hop Museum, a waterfront esplanade and outdoor performance space, a multiplex theater, and, of course, a food hall, in this case curated by Anna Castellani of Brooklyn's wildly popular Dekalb Market Hall. The Real Deal reports that L+M Development Partners won the bid for the $200 million project, dubbed Bronx Point, which is located adjacent to Mill Pond Park and the 145th Street Bridge that runs into Manhattan.
More details ahead
September 21, 2017

Live in Long Island City’s luxurious rental tower, the Hayden, from $947/month

The second batch of affordable apartments is now available at the Hayden, a 50-story, 924-unit highrise in the blossoming neighborhood of Long Island City in Queens. Designed by SCLE Architects, the building at 43-25 Hunter Street features amenities like a fitness center, yoga room, basketball court, rooftop solarium, screening room, library and more. Qualifying New Yorkers earning between $34,355 and $57,240 can apply for $947 per month studios, $1,017 per month one-bedrooms and the $1,230 per month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
September 19, 2017

Study says Mayor de Blasio’s affordable housing plan ignores low-income New Yorkers

Despite making affordable housing a policy priority, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan falls short for the poorest New Yorkers, a new study says. The report, released by the Real Affordability for All (RAFA) coalition last week, says low- and moderate-income households across the city face a worsening affordability crisis (h/t DNAinfo). Although the city’s lowest earners experience the largest gap between incomes and housing costs, de Blasio’s affordable housing plan, which aims to develop or preserve 200,000 affordable units over 10 years, sets aside more units for middle-income households than low-income ones.
Find out more
September 18, 2017

Apply for five affordable apartments in East Harlem, from $867/month

Applications are now being accepted for five newly constructed, affordable units at 230 East 124th Street in the Manhattan neighborhood of East Harlem. Located between Third and Second Avenues, the six-floor building features 20 apartments. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units that range from a $867 per month studio to a $1,123 per month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify
September 18, 2017

Map shows how many years of life a house costs, and in NYC the numbers aren’t pretty

New Yorkers know that taking on a mortgage in the city is no easy feat. But a recent map shows that, compared to the rest of the country, we'll spend many more years than most everyone else (except San Franciscans) in our attempts to pay it off. This map, which measures "mortgage magnitude," looked at the median local income and median local home value to show the relative affordability of property in each US county. The value of the average property was then expressed in the number of years salary it costs. In some counties, a house will only set you back a total of one year's pay. But as you move out toward costal cities like New York, that number gets dramatically higher.
Here's how many years New Yorkers should expect
September 15, 2017

Waitlist opens for middle-income apartments near Lincoln Center

Back in April, 6sqft shared an open waitlist for low-income units at the Brodsky Organization's One Columbus Place. The mid-90s tower, located at the amazing intersection of Lincoln Center, Central Park, and the Upper West Side, has 700 total apartments, with 179 reserved as below-market rate. The second batch of affordable units, these set aside for middle-income New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, are now also accepting applications for a 7,500-name waitlist for future vacancies. They range from $2,116/month studios to $2,733/month two-bedrooms, compared to the building's market-rate listings that range from $3,200/month studios to $6,300/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify and how to get your name on the list
September 12, 2017

Affordable housing lottery opens for 19 units at new South Slope rental, from $813/month

This stacked, Tetris-like facade is the type of thing we're used to seeing in neighborhoods like Williamsburg and Long Island City, but ND Architecture and Design has brought a similar look to the less-trendy and more industrial area where South Slope meets Gowanus. The mixed-use building known as the Alexy was recently completed and features commercial space, parking, and 95 rental units, a mix of market rate and affordable apartments. The latter group of 19 residences, ranging from $813/month studios to $1,016/month two-bedrooms, is now accepting applications from New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income, quite the deal considering market-rate units are renting from $2,400 to $5,100 a month.
Find out if you qualify and check out the amenity package
September 7, 2017

Crown Heights’ controversial homeless shelter development opens lotto for 33 low-income units

Facing an unprecedented homelessness problem, in February, Mayor de Blasio announced plans to open 90 new shelters and expand 30 existing ones. But when it came down to which neighborhoods would house the developments, it became a not-in-my-backyard issue, especially in Crown Heights, an area already heavy with shelters and transitional houses, where the Mayor said three of the first five projects would be built. The animosity intensified shortly thereafter when it was announced that one such shelter would open in a new building at 267 Rogers Avenue, originally planned as a condo. But despite opposition from local residents and a temporary restraining order, the building began welcoming tenants over the summer, with space for 132 homeless families and another 33 units reserved for low-income New Yorkers. The latter, set aside for those earning 60 percent of the area median income, are now available through the city's affordable housing lottery and range from $931/month one-bedrooms to $1,292/month three-bedrooms.
See the qualifications
September 7, 2017

Trump could earn $14M from the sale of a Brooklyn housing complex he co-owns

The owners of Starrett City, the largest federally subsidized housing project in the country, recently announced they found a buyer for the $850 million Brooklyn development. Located in East New York, Starrett City sits on 145 acres and includes 5,881 affordable apartments for 15,000 residents. As the New York Times reported, President Donald Trump partially owns the housing development and will benefit from the sale of the property. Since the sale requires federal approval from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and state officials, this puts the president on both sides of the agreement, creating a potential conflict of interest for him.
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September 5, 2017

Nine chances to live in a new Bushwick building for just $1,039/month

Permits were first filed for a new rental building at 810 Flushing Avenue in Bushwick, near the Bed-Stuy border and the Woodhull Medical Center, back in 2014, and nearly four years later the affordable housing lottery is open to New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income for its nine $1,039/month units. In addition to being just a few blocks from the J,M,Z trains, the building offers a roof deck, fitness center, attended parking, and a two-story glass retail base. Apartments have open kitchens with granite counters and stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, high ceilings and oversized windows, and, for certain residences, private balconies.
Find out if you qualify
September 2, 2017

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): THE DEAN, 88 LEONARD STREET, 33 BOND and TRIBECA TOWER Leasing Update: 555Ten Offers 2 Months Free + Launches Affordable Housing Lottery [link] A Church from 1869 Is Now Quirky Loft Rentals with Cast Iron Catwalks – Flex Units Now Available [link] 33 Bond Opens Debuting Dozens of Units + New […]

September 1, 2017

Mixed-income Mott Haven building opens lottery for 163 affordable units, starting at $788/month

Not only has Mott Haven been dubbed the next "it" 'hood, but it's become one of the city's top areas for large, new affordable housing sites. One such development, the three-building Crossroads Plaza, is a $157 million project from Douglaston Development that will all together bring 425 units of affordable housing to the South Bronx, as well as a 20,000-square-foot public plaza. The first building opened in 2015, the second the following year, and now the city is accepting applications for the final phase at 828 East 149th Street. The 163-unit building is open to those earning 60, 100, 110, and 120 percent of the area median income, and apartments range from $788/month studios to $2,120/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify here
August 31, 2017

City will convert long-vacant Greenpoint Hospital into hundreds of affordable housing units

It's been 35 years since the Greenpoint Hospital shut its doors, since which time the city has tried and failed to convert the vacant 146,100-square-foot complex into affordable housing. But Mayor de Blasio, explaining that the "the need for affordable housing in Greenpoint and Williamsburg is too high to leave even one stone unturned," will now seek proposals from developers to transform the site into anywhere between 300 to 600 below-market rate apartments and supportive housing, along with green space, commercial space, and a relocated 200-bed shelter and clinic (h/t DNAinfo).
The past and future of the site
August 31, 2017

Apply for 22 energy-efficient apartments at a passive house in the Bronx from $865/month

Applications are currently being accepted for 22 affordable apartments at 3365 Third Avenue in the Bronx neighborhood of Morrisania. Developed by Bronx Pro Group and designed by Curtis+Ginsberg Architects, the project meets the passive house standard by featuring energy-efficient measures such as fiberglass triple-pane windows, LED lighting, and low-flow water fixtures -- all of which will result in energy reduction savings as high as high as nearly 90 percent. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 or 100 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from $865/month studios to$1,969/month four-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
August 31, 2017

Lottery opens for 74 affordable units at new Downtown Brooklyn rental, from $947/month

At the beginning of the year, Downtown Brooklyn's new 26-story rental tower at 210 Livingston Street, best known for having its own subway entrance, topped out, and it's now accepting applications for the 20 percent of units reserved as affordable housing. These 74 brand-new apartments are set aside for those earning 60 percent of the area median income and range from $947/month studios to $1,230/month two-bedrooms. In addition to the super-convenient location, all tenants will have access to an impressive suite of amenities (though many will require an additional fee), including a courtyard, 15th-floor landscaped terrace, roof deck with grills and a sun deck, lounge, game room, business center, laundry room, fitness center, and an underground parking garage.
Find out if you qualify
August 30, 2017

107 affordable units up for grabs in Brownsville’s Prospect Plaza, starting at $558/month

Back in April of 2016, 6sqft shared the first affordable housing lottery to come online at the Dattner Architects-designed Prospect Plaza. Located in the Brownsville section of East New York--which has seen a slew of new below-market rate housing after a controversial rezoning--the 4.5-acre development will include a total of 364 units of of affordable and public housing, a 22,000-square-foot supermarket, 12,000-square-foot community facility, and a rooftop greenhouse. As of today, New Yorkers earning 40, 50, and 60 percent of the area median income can apply for 107 of these apartments at 428 Saratoga Avenue, ranging from $558/month one-bedrooms to $1,224/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
August 30, 2017

Apply for 12 affordable apartments in Bed-Stuy, from $1,230/ month

Applications are currently being accepted for 12 affordable apartments at 27 Albany Avenue in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant. Located on the bustling corner of Fulton Street, the building rises 10 stories with 50 residences. Amenities include on-site parking, a virtual doorman, package room, fitness center, communal terraces and a lounge. New Yorkers earning 80 percent of the area median income can apply for five one-bedrooms for $1,230 per month and seven two-bedrooms for $1,486 per month.
Find out more
August 25, 2017

Congressman introduces bill that would offer tax credits to rent-burdened Americans

Rep. Joeseph Crowley announced federal legislation this week that aims to create two refundable tax credits for low- and middle-income renters. For rental households across the U.S. with incomes of $125,000 or less, the Rent Relief Act would provide them with one of two tax credits, if the bill becomes law. According to the Democratic congressman, who represents part of the Bronx and Queens in New York’s 14th congressional district, roughly 111 million Americans live in rental housing, with about two-thirds of all households in New York City currently renting, twice the national average.
Find out more
August 24, 2017

New renderings of South Bronx passive house feature vegetated roof deck and solar shading

Adding to the passive house development push happening in New York City, Dattner Architects released new renderings of their energy-saving project at 425 Grand Concourse in the South Bronx’s Mott Haven neighborhood. Formerly the site of the Gothic-style P.S. 31, the mixed-use and mixed-income development will sit at the corner of Grand Concourse and East 144th Street. According to CityRealty, when it opens in 2020, this project will be the tallest in Mott Haven and the largest development of its kind in the country (though East Harlem's massive Sendero Verde complex will steal the title soon after). The highly-insulated building features a vegetated roof deck, solar shading, solar panels, cogen power generation, and an energy recovery system.
See the design